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: $1,871 in Wanaka versus $1,795 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,918 in Wanaka versus $2,789 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,964 in Wanaka versus $3,783 in Dunedin.

Living in Wanaka is roughly 4% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wanaka 41% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 NZ$20.86

$11.86 NZ$20.43

2.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 NZ$103

$73.0 NZ$126

-17.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 NZ$15.80

$10.87 NZ$18.73

-15.64%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.57

$3.48 NZ$5.99

-7.18%

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

$1.74 NZ$2.99

$2.28 NZ$3.92

-23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 NZ$3.43

$2.00 NZ$3.45

-0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 NZ$12.49

$7.12 NZ$12.27

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 NZ$10.09

$5.90 NZ$10.17

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 NZ$3.71

$2.17 NZ$3.74

-0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 NZ$3.25

$1.99 NZ$3.44

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.15

$1.91 NZ$3.29

-4.19%

Eggs

$5.67 NZ$9.77

$5.59 NZ$9.63

1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 NZ$13.81

$8.36 NZ$14.41

-4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.86 NZ$18.71

$10.65 NZ$18.34

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 NZ$22.19

$12.90 NZ$22.22

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$5.05

$2.88 NZ$4.96

1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.93

$2.25 NZ$3.87

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 NZ$5.72

$3.38 NZ$5.83

-1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 NZ$7.59

$4.65 NZ$8.01

-5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.27

$1.89 NZ$3.26

0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.54

$2.07 NZ$3.57

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 NZ$4.22

$2.53 NZ$4.37

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.90

$1.12 NZ$1.92

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.48 NZ$42.18

$24.48 NZ$42.19

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 NZ$16.17

$8.96 NZ$15.43

4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 NZ$4.41

$2.52 NZ$4.34

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 NZ$6.47

$3.57 NZ$6.15

5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 NZ$3.54

$1.24 NZ$2.14

65.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 NZ$108

$71.9 NZ$124

-12.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 NZ$4.63

$5.93 NZ$10.22

-54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 NZ$1.95

$1.10 NZ$1.90

2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.95 NZ$51.6

$30.03 NZ$51.7

-0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.94

$1.66 NZ$2.86

3.01%

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

$19.7K NZ$33.9K

-0.01%

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

$25.9K NZ$44.6K

$25.6K NZ$44.1K

1.04%

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

$101 NZ$175

$102 NZ$175

-0.13%

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

$35.40 NZ$61.0

$35.32 NZ$60.9

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 NZ$94.4

$54.6 NZ$94.1

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 NZ$73.2

$51.1 NZ$88.1

-16.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.00 NZ$20.69

$6.13 NZ$10.57

95.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.73 NZ$16.77

$9.69 NZ$16.69

0.41%

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

$587 NZ$1,012

$575 NZ$990

2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K NZ$21.0K

$11.9K NZ$20.5K

2.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 NZ$113

$66.0 NZ$114

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.53 NZ$59.5

$34.51 NZ$59.5

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 NZ$127

$94.8 NZ$163

-22.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 NZ$136

$121 NZ$209

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 NZ$1,797

$885 NZ$1,525

17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 NZ$1,444

$758 NZ$1,306

10.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 NZ$3,411

$1,500 NZ$2,585

31.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 NZ$3,042

$1,347 NZ$2,322

31.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,902 NZ$8,447

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,414 NZ$5,883

$2,237 NZ$3,854

52.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,419 NZ$7,615

$2,582 NZ$4,449

71.17%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,043 in Wanaka and $885 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Wanaka vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $324 per month, with Wanaka cheaper across the board.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,871 vs $1,795 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $1,043 in Wanaka versus $885 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 14% less than in Wanaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $587 in Wanaka versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,871 in Wanaka, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Wanaka. 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, 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 Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Wanaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.