Cost of Living Comparison Between Wanaka and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Wanaka and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,724 in Wanaka versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,700 in Wanaka versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,676 in Wanaka versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Wanaka costs roughly 8% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wanaka 26% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 NZ$25.74

$14.32 NZ$25.04

2.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 NZ$99.5

$63.2 NZ$110

-9.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 NZ$15.55

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-21.72%

Cappuccino

$3.22 NZ$5.63

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-8.00%

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

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$2.20 NZ$3.85

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 NZ$3.46

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 NZ$12.33

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.30 NZ$11.01

$6.26 NZ$10.95

0.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$2.13 NZ$3.72

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NZ$3.50

$2.06 NZ$3.60

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 NZ$3.19

$1.74 NZ$3.05

4.60%

Eggs

$6.09 NZ$10.64

$5.83 NZ$10.19

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 NZ$15.15

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-1.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 NZ$16.51

$9.80 NZ$17.13

-3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 NZ$29.69

$16.66 NZ$29.13

1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.38

$2.94 NZ$5.14

4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.81

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.82

$3.23 NZ$5.64

3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 NZ$9.30

$5.18 NZ$9.06

2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.29

$1.83 NZ$3.20

2.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 NZ$4.10

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-2.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.37 NZ$40.85

$21.71 NZ$37.96

7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 NZ$15.99

$9.25 NZ$16.18

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 NZ$5.54

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 NZ$2.21

$1.23 NZ$2.15

2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 NZ$10.03

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-0.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.31 NZ$49.50

$29.15 NZ$51.0

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 NZ$3.05

$1.73 NZ$3.02

1.16%

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

$25.7K NZ$44.9K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

-1.41%

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

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-0.32%

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

$113 NZ$198

$113 NZ$197

0.23%

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

$29.86 NZ$52.2

$28.94 NZ$50.6

3.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 NZ$93.6

$52.8 NZ$92.4

1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 NZ$18.23

$10.52 NZ$18.40

-0.86%

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

$597 NZ$1,044

$610 NZ$1,066

-2.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 NZ$106

$60.5 NZ$106

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.83 NZ$62.6

$36.21 NZ$63.3

-1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 NZ$120

$94.7 NZ$166

-27.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 NZ$130

$141 NZ$246

-47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 NZ$1,772

$893 NZ$1,560

13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 NZ$1,443

$760 NZ$1,328

8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 NZ$3,391

$1,510 NZ$2,640

28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 NZ$2,917

$1,196 NZ$2,091

39.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 NZ$10.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 NZ$7,638

$2,586 NZ$4,521

68.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

-43.42%

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

Last update for Wanaka: September 13, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Wanaka and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $57.0 in Wanaka vs $63.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $329 vs $328, with Dunedin 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

Wanaka vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wanaka and Dunedin differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,724 vs $1,872 including rent). Wanaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Wanaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Wanaka versus $893 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dunedin pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,724 per month in Wanaka versus $1,872 in Dunedin – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,724 in Wanaka versus $1,872 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Wanaka but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Wanaka 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, Wanaka 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 Wanaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.