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: $1,824 in Wanaka versus $1,840 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,960 in Wanaka versus $2,828 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,096 in Wanaka versus $3,817 in Dunedin.

Living in Wanaka costs roughly 1% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wanaka 36% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.26 NZ$20.94

$12.01 NZ$20.50

2.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$101

$73.1 NZ$125

-18.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 NZ$15.88

$10.82 NZ$18.48

-14.05%

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.37

$3.45 NZ$5.89

-8.70%

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

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$2.23 NZ$3.80

-19.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NZ$3.33

$2.10 NZ$3.59

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 NZ$12.09

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 NZ$10.23

$5.96 NZ$10.17

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$2.15 NZ$3.68

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$1.88 NZ$3.21

5.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.12

$1.84 NZ$3.13

-0.54%

Eggs

$5.80 NZ$9.91

$5.68 NZ$9.70

2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 NZ$14.19

$8.38 NZ$14.32

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 NZ$18.65

$10.78 NZ$18.40

1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 NZ$22.46

$12.89 NZ$22.01

2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$5.00

$2.95 NZ$5.03

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.28 NZ$3.89

-3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.67

$3.42 NZ$5.85

-2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 NZ$7.77

$4.46 NZ$7.61

2.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.38

$2.05 NZ$3.50

-3.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$2.54 NZ$4.33

0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.91

$1.08 NZ$1.84

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.28 NZ$41.46

$24.59 NZ$42.00

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 NZ$15.64

$9.22 NZ$15.74

-0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 NZ$4.32

$2.60 NZ$4.43

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 NZ$6.39

$3.60 NZ$6.15

3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 NZ$3.53

$1.24 NZ$2.11

66.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.1 NZ$111

$72.5 NZ$124

-10.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 NZ$4.53

$6.08 NZ$10.38

-56.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.95

$1.09 NZ$1.87

4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.87 NZ$51.0

$30.44 NZ$52.0

-1.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$1.71 NZ$2.93

1.17%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.0K

$20.0K NZ$34.2K

-0.58%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.3K

$25.4K NZ$43.4K

2.11%

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

$103 NZ$175

$103 NZ$176

-0.52%

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

$35.41 NZ$60.5

$35.86 NZ$61.2

-1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 NZ$95.1

$56.2 NZ$95.9

-0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.74 NZ$71.3

$52.2 NZ$89.2

-20.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 NZ$20.47

$6.17 NZ$10.54

94.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 NZ$16.78

$9.44 NZ$16.12

4.13%

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

$576 NZ$984

$589 NZ$1,005

-2.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.7K

$12.0K NZ$20.6K

0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 NZ$114

$66.0 NZ$113

1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 NZ$59.5

$34.95 NZ$59.7

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 NZ$122

$96.5 NZ$165

-25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 NZ$133

$122 NZ$209

-36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 NZ$1,787

$898 NZ$1,534

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$864 NZ$1,476

$775 NZ$1,324

11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,958 NZ$3,344

$1,507 NZ$2,573

29.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,720 NZ$2,937

$1,340 NZ$2,288

28.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,424 NZ$7,555

$2,898 NZ$4,948

52.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,790 NZ$6,472

$1,986 NZ$3,391

90.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,449 NZ$7,597

$2,548 NZ$4,351

74.61%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Wanaka and $898 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Wanaka vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $327 vs $324, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,824 vs $1,840 including rent). Wanaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Wanaka pays 75% more on average, 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: $1,046 in Wanaka versus $898 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wanaka runs roughly 11% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $576 in Wanaka versus $589 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,824 in Wanaka versus $1,840 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 1% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.