Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Wellington versus $1,807 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,553 in Wellington versus $2,801 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,751 in Wellington versus $3,796 in Dunedin.

Living in Wellington is roughly 30% more expensive than Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 76% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$12.23 NZ$20.65

41.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$73.0 NZ$123

15.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$10.87 NZ$18.35

-10.12%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.45 NZ$5.82

10.14%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$2.18 NZ$3.67

19.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$2.00 NZ$3.38

9.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$7.20 NZ$12.16

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$5.97 NZ$10.08

24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$1.92 NZ$3.24

9.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.87 NZ$3.16

4.28%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$5.73 NZ$9.67

20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$8.07 NZ$13.62

0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$10.84 NZ$18.30

2.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$13.17 NZ$22.23

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$2.93 NZ$4.94

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-0.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$3.43 NZ$5.78

-12.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$4.45 NZ$7.51

6.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.98 NZ$3.34

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$2.02 NZ$3.41

-17.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$2.56 NZ$4.33

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$1.08 NZ$1.82

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$23.76 NZ$40.11

13.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$9.41 NZ$15.88

24.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.55 NZ$4.31

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$3.66 NZ$6.19

-13.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$1.23 NZ$2.08

123.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$73.6 NZ$124

45.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$6.14 NZ$10.36

-56.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.15 NZ$1.94

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$29.78 NZ$50.3

102.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.66 NZ$2.81

3.01%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

68.23%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

-3.18%

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

$160 NZ$270

$102 NZ$173

56.69%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$35.87 NZ$60.6

-9.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$54.3 NZ$91.7

-5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$52.2 NZ$88.1

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$6.13 NZ$10.36

236.05%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$9.67 NZ$16.32

25.85%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$575 NZ$971

39.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

6.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$67.2 NZ$114

9.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$35.51 NZ$60.0

49.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$94.2 NZ$159

26.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$121 NZ$205

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$884 NZ$1,493

51.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$757 NZ$1,278

45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,481 NZ$2,501

41.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,332 NZ$2,250

41.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

$3,023 NZ$5,104

118.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

$2,045 NZ$3,452

90.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$2,611 NZ$4,409

17.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

7.07

-1.84%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Wellington and $884 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 17% 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: $85.0 in Wellington vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $324 per month, with Dunedin 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

Wellington vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and Dunedin differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($2,354 vs $1,807 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Wellington pays 17% 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: $1,339 in Wellington versus $884 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 45% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $800 in Wellington versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,807 in Dunedin versus $2,354 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Wellington. 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, Wellington 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 30% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.