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: $2,447 in Wellington versus $1,930 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,492 in Wellington versus $2,859 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,537 in Wellington versus $3,787 in Dunedin.

Living in Wellington is roughly 27% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 78% above, Dunedin 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.31 NZ$24.45

$15.02 NZ$25.66

-4.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NZ$115

$64.0 NZ$109

5.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 NZ$16.51

$11.90 NZ$20.34

-18.82%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.87

$3.39 NZ$5.79

1.18%

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

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$2.21 NZ$3.78

13.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$2.15 NZ$3.68

-14.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 NZ$13.25

$7.24 NZ$12.37

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$12.02

$6.64 NZ$11.34

6.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$2.22 NZ$3.80

-12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$2.01 NZ$3.44

16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$1.78 NZ$3.05

10.11%

Eggs

$7.23 NZ$12.36

$5.96 NZ$10.18

21.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 NZ$16.23

$9.00 NZ$15.38

5.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NZ$17.22

$9.78 NZ$16.70

3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 NZ$26.75

$17.43 NZ$29.78

-10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 NZ$5.63

$3.06 NZ$5.23

7.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.90

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NZ$5.31

$3.42 NZ$5.84

-9.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.90 NZ$11.79

$5.32 NZ$9.09

29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$2.00 NZ$3.41

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 NZ$2.29

$1.93 NZ$3.30

-30.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.58

$2.51 NZ$4.29

-16.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.14

$0.59 NZ$1.01

111.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.38 NZ$45.08

$22.07 NZ$37.71

19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 NZ$20.58

$9.64 NZ$16.47

24.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NZ$5.63

$3.30 NZ$5.63

-0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.97

$1.25 NZ$2.14

132.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.11

$1.21 NZ$2.07

147.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$183

$70.7 NZ$121

51.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$5.94 NZ$10.15

-67.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$59.7

$29.41 NZ$50.3

18.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$1.77 NZ$3.03

10.17%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.4K

$26.2K NZ$44.7K

3.78%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

$26.3K NZ$44.9K

-0.08%

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

$210 NZ$359

$116 NZ$198

81.65%

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

$32.92 NZ$56.2

$29.62 NZ$50.6

11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NZ$97.5

$53.8 NZ$91.8

6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 NZ$69.0

$50.7 NZ$86.7

-20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 NZ$22.46

$10.66 NZ$18.21

23.26%

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

$1,097 NZ$1,874

$616 NZ$1,052

78.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$141

$61.9 NZ$106

33.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 NZ$50.0

$37.56 NZ$64.2

-22.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$181

$95.5 NZ$163

10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NZ$270

$143 NZ$245

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 NZ$2,230

$910 NZ$1,554

43.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 NZ$2,058

$804 NZ$1,374

49.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 NZ$3,918

$1,579 NZ$2,698

45.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 NZ$3,059

$1,218 NZ$2,082

46.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,973 NZ$11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 NZ$6,358

$2,313 NZ$3,952

60.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 NZ$5,050

$2,574 NZ$4,397

14.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

7.07

-23.76%

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

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,305 in Wellington and $910 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 15% 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: $67.0 in Wellington vs $64.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $337 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 27% in total monthly costs ($2,447 vs $1,930 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Wellington, 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: $1,305 in Wellington versus $910 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 52% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,097 in Wellington versus $616 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,930 in Dunedin versus $2,447 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 27% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.