Cost of Living Comparison Between Whakatane and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Whakatane and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,832 in Whakatane versus $1,795 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,798 in Whakatane versus $2,789 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Whakatane versus $3,783 in Dunedin.

Living in Whakatane is roughly 2% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whakatane 38% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.32 NZ$25.96

$11.86 NZ$20.10

29.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 NZ$123

$73.0 NZ$124

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.72

$10.87 NZ$18.43

-14.63%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.84

$3.48 NZ$5.89

-0.86%

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

$2.25 NZ$3.82

$2.28 NZ$3.86

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NZ$3.90

$2.00 NZ$3.39

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 NZ$11.45

$7.12 NZ$12.07

-5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 NZ$11.48

$5.90 NZ$10.01

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.07

$2.17 NZ$3.68

-16.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 NZ$1.70

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-49.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.91 NZ$3.24

2.09%

Eggs

$5.82 NZ$9.86

$5.59 NZ$9.47

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 NZ$12.66

$8.36 NZ$14.17

-10.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 NZ$16.05

$10.65 NZ$18.05

-11.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.93 NZ$21.91

$12.90 NZ$21.86

0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 NZ$4.47

$2.88 NZ$4.88

-8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.76

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 NZ$5.70

$3.38 NZ$5.73

-0.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 NZ$6.78

$4.65 NZ$7.89

-13.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.89 NZ$3.21

5.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$2.07 NZ$3.51

-20.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$2.53 NZ$4.30

-25.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.00

$1.12 NZ$1.89

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.83 NZ$42.09

$24.48 NZ$41.50

1.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 NZ$14.93

$8.96 NZ$15.18

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 NZ$2.60

$2.52 NZ$4.27

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$3.57 NZ$6.05

-65.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 NZ$3.67

$1.24 NZ$2.10

74.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 NZ$111

$71.9 NZ$122

-9.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NZ$3.59

$5.93 NZ$10.05

-64.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 NZ$3.35

$1.10 NZ$1.87

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.57 NZ$60.3

$30.03 NZ$50.9

18.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 NZ$2.86

$1.66 NZ$2.81

1.81%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.0K

$19.7K NZ$33.3K

46.88%

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

$9,632 NZ$16.3K

$25.6K NZ$43.4K

-62.39%

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

$125 NZ$212

$102 NZ$172

23.22%

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

$30.71 NZ$52.1

$35.32 NZ$59.9

-13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.10 NZ$81.5

$54.6 NZ$92.5

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 NZ$63.2

$51.1 NZ$86.7

-27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 NZ$20.20

$6.13 NZ$10.40

94.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 NZ$15.26

$9.69 NZ$16.42

-7.12%

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

$892 NZ$1,512

$575 NZ$974

55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.4K

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

16.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 NZ$118

$66.0 NZ$112

5.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.58 NZ$75.6

$34.51 NZ$58.5

29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 NZ$154

$94.8 NZ$161

-4.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NZ$215

$121 NZ$206

4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,623

$885 NZ$1,500

8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 NZ$1,321

$758 NZ$1,285

2.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,675

$1,500 NZ$2,544

5.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 NZ$2,462

$1,347 NZ$2,284

7.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,759 NZ$8,068

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,327 NZ$5,639

$2,237 NZ$3,792

48.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,090 NZ$6,933

$2,582 NZ$4,377

58.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

7.07

-9.90%

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

Last update for Whakatane: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Whakatane and $885 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whakatane pays 58% 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: $73.0 in Whakatane vs $73.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $324 per month, with Whakatane 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

Whakatane vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whakatane and Dunedin differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,832 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 58% higher in Whakatane, 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: $957 in Whakatane 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 10% less than in Whakatane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $892 in Whakatane 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 $1,832 in Whakatane, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Whakatane. 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, Whakatane 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 2% less than in Whakatane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.