Cost of Living Comparison Between Whanganui and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Whanganui and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,967 in Whanganui versus $1,872 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,974 in Whanganui versus $2,733 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,982 in Whanganui versus $3,595 in Dunedin.

Living in Whanganui is roughly 5% more expensive than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 44% above, Dunedin 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.39 NZ$25.16

$14.32 NZ$25.04

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 NZ$118

$63.2 NZ$110

7.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 NZ$15.53

$11.37 NZ$19.88

-21.90%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.97

$3.50 NZ$6.12

-2.57%

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

$2.30 NZ$4.02

$2.20 NZ$3.85

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 NZ$10.07

$7.11 NZ$12.42

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 NZ$9.70

$6.26 NZ$10.95

-11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 NZ$2.45

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-34.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 NZ$1.72

$2.06 NZ$3.60

-52.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$2.04

$1.74 NZ$3.05

-33.33%

Eggs

$5.47 NZ$9.56

$5.83 NZ$10.19

-6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 NZ$10.16

$8.77 NZ$15.33

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 NZ$16.56

$9.80 NZ$17.13

-3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.77 NZ$27.57

$16.66 NZ$29.13

-5.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.92

$2.94 NZ$5.14

-23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.51

$2.43 NZ$4.24

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.35

$3.23 NZ$5.64

-40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 NZ$6.13

$5.18 NZ$9.06

-32.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 NZ$2.32

$1.83 NZ$3.20

-27.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.64

$2.42 NZ$4.24

-14.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.92

$0.57 NZ$1.00

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.08 NZ$42.10

$21.71 NZ$37.96

10.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 NZ$17.82

$9.25 NZ$16.18

10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 NZ$4.61

$3.18 NZ$5.55

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$4.09

$1.23 NZ$2.15

90.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 NZ$2.91

$1.13 NZ$1.97

46.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.0 NZ$170

$70.5 NZ$123

37.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 NZ$3.38

$5.79 NZ$10.11

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.22

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$61.0

$29.15 NZ$51.0

19.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.82

$1.73 NZ$3.02

-6.94%

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

$25.5K NZ$44.6K

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

-1.95%

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

$26.3K NZ$45.9K

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

2.19%

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

$201 NZ$352

$113 NZ$197

78.43%

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

$32.91 NZ$57.5

$28.94 NZ$50.6

13.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.14 NZ$84.2

$52.8 NZ$92.4

-8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$49.64 NZ$86.8

-20.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 NZ$10.22

$10.52 NZ$18.40

-44.39%

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

$1,091 NZ$1,908

$610 NZ$1,066

78.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K NZ$22.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 NZ$142

$60.5 NZ$106

34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.22 NZ$51.1

$36.21 NZ$63.3

-19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$181

$94.7 NZ$166

9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 NZ$280

$141 NZ$246

13.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 NZ$1,651

$893 NZ$1,560

5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 NZ$1,495

$760 NZ$1,328

12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 NZ$2,902

$1,510 NZ$2,640

9.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 NZ$2,606

$1,196 NZ$2,091

24.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,176 NZ$7,300

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,147 NZ$5,502

$2,242 NZ$3,919

40.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

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 Whanganui: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $945 in Whanganui and $893 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Whanganui vs $63.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $328, with Whanganui 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

Whanganui vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whanganui and Dunedin differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,967 vs $1,872 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,950 in Whanganui and $2,808 in Dunedin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $945 in Whanganui versus $893 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 38% less than in Whanganui. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,091 in Whanganui versus $610 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,872 in Dunedin versus $1,967 in Whanganui, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Whanganui. 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, Whanganui 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 5% less than in Whanganui. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.