Cost of Living Comparison Between Waitakere and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Waitakere and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,875 in Waitakere versus $1,840 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,924 in Waitakere versus $2,828 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,973 in Waitakere versus $3,817 in Dunedin.

Living in Waitakere is roughly 2% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waitakere 39% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.96 NZ$25.54

$12.01 NZ$20.50

24.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 NZ$135

$73.1 NZ$125

8.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.79 NZ$16.72

$10.82 NZ$18.48

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.85

$3.45 NZ$5.89

-0.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$2.23 NZ$3.80

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NZ$3.62

$2.10 NZ$3.59

0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 NZ$12.53

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 NZ$11.03

$5.96 NZ$10.17

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.07

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.88 NZ$3.21

3.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.24

$1.84 NZ$3.13

3.26%

Eggs

$6.13 NZ$10.47

$5.68 NZ$9.70

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 NZ$13.80

$8.38 NZ$14.32

-3.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 NZ$16.06

$10.78 NZ$18.40

-12.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 NZ$21.60

$12.89 NZ$22.01

-1.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 NZ$4.80

$2.95 NZ$5.03

-4.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$2.28 NZ$3.89

-0.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.09

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 NZ$8.04

$4.46 NZ$7.61

5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.92 NZ$3.28

3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.23

$2.05 NZ$3.50

-7.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.54 NZ$4.33

-13.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.89

$1.08 NZ$1.84

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.45 NZ$41.75

$24.59 NZ$42.00

-0.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 NZ$18.42

$9.22 NZ$15.74

17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 NZ$4.46

$2.60 NZ$4.43

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 NZ$6.38

$3.60 NZ$6.15

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$1.24 NZ$2.11

72.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 NZ$108

$72.5 NZ$124

-13.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$6.08 NZ$10.38

-54.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 NZ$3.05

$1.09 NZ$1.87

64.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.63 NZ$60.9

$30.44 NZ$52.0

17.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 NZ$2.93

$1.71 NZ$2.93

0.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K NZ$48.2K

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

40.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.2K NZ$37.8K

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

-12.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$143 NZ$244

$103 NZ$176

38.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$36.33 NZ$62.0

$35.86 NZ$61.2

1.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 NZ$87.3

$56.2 NZ$95.9

-8.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 NZ$62.0

$52.2 NZ$89.2

-30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.84 NZ$20.22

$6.17 NZ$10.54

91.90%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 NZ$18.48

$9.44 NZ$16.12

14.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$741 NZ$1,265

$589 NZ$1,005

25.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.7K

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 NZ$114

$66.0 NZ$113

1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 NZ$64.2

$34.95 NZ$59.7

7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 NZ$165

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 NZ$201

$122 NZ$209

-3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 NZ$1,677

$898 NZ$1,534

9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 NZ$1,335

$775 NZ$1,324

0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,545 NZ$2,637

$1,507 NZ$2,573

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 NZ$2,392

$1,340 NZ$2,288

4.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,840 NZ$6,557

$2,898 NZ$4,948

32.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,530 NZ$6,027

$1,986 NZ$3,391

77.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,548 NZ$4,351

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

7.07

-4.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Waitakere: June 6, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Waitakere and $898 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Waitakere vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $316 vs $324, with Waitakere cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Waitakere vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waitakere and Dunedin differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,875 vs $1,840 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,812 in Waitakere and $2,760 in Dunedin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $982 in Waitakere versus $898 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 15% less than in Waitakere. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $741 in Waitakere versus $589 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,840 in Dunedin versus $1,875 in Waitakere, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Waitakere. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Waitakere and Dunedin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Waitakere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.