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: $1,701 in Whanganui versus $1,850 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,719 in Whanganui versus $2,791 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Whanganui versus $3,732 in Dunedin.

Living in Whanganui costs roughly 8% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 27% above, Dunedin 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 NZ$25.65

$11.94 NZ$20.30

26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$122

$72.4 NZ$123

-0.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 NZ$15.19

$10.65 NZ$18.10

-16.06%

Cappuccino

$3.25 NZ$5.52

$3.40 NZ$5.78

-4.41%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.05

$2.27 NZ$3.87

4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$2.03 NZ$3.45

-18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 NZ$8.24

$7.14 NZ$12.14

-32.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 NZ$8.96

$6.08 NZ$10.33

-13.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$2.10 NZ$3.58

-17.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$1.91 NZ$3.25

-13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.82 NZ$3.09

9.34%

Eggs

$5.88 NZ$10.00

$5.52 NZ$9.39

6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 NZ$12.73

$8.41 NZ$14.30

-10.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 NZ$15.83

$10.82 NZ$18.39

-13.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 NZ$21.29

$13.21 NZ$22.45

-5.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.05

$2.87 NZ$4.88

-17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$2.27 NZ$3.86

-16.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$3.42 NZ$5.82

-26.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.80

$4.44 NZ$7.55

-23.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.69

$1.98 NZ$3.37

9.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.68

$1.97 NZ$3.35

9.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$2.54 NZ$4.32

-19.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.95

$1.07 NZ$1.81

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.65 NZ$35.11

$24.35 NZ$41.40

-15.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 NZ$17.91

$9.36 NZ$15.91

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.48 NZ$4.22

2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.46

$3.72 NZ$6.33

-29.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.64

$1.19 NZ$2.02

79.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 NZ$109

$72.0 NZ$122

-10.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.72

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-52.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$1.11 NZ$1.89

67.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$30.22 NZ$51.4

18.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.93

$1.71 NZ$2.90

1.17%

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

$27.7K NZ$47.1K

$19.9K NZ$33.9K

38.73%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.5K

$25.8K NZ$43.8K

-9.93%

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

$117 NZ$198

$102 NZ$174

13.91%

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

$36.89 NZ$62.7

$36.18 NZ$61.5

1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.38 NZ$82.3

$55.0 NZ$93.5

-12.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.83 NZ$62.6

$52.6 NZ$89.4

-29.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.69

$6.15 NZ$10.45

97.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 NZ$12.66

$9.66 NZ$16.43

-22.88%

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

$362 NZ$616

$587 NZ$998

-38.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$12.2K NZ$20.8K

0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 NZ$117

$65.8 NZ$112

4.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 NZ$62.7

$34.85 NZ$59.3

5.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 NZ$165

$94.3 NZ$160

2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$215

$124 NZ$211

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 NZ$2,085

$878 NZ$1,492

39.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 NZ$1,217

$779 NZ$1,324

-8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 NZ$2,713

$1,509 NZ$2,566

5.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 NZ$2,316

$1,320 NZ$2,245

3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,959 NZ$5,031

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 NZ$3,507

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NZ$2,392

$2,561 NZ$4,354

-45.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

7.07

-5.37%

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

Last update for Whanganui: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Whanganui and $878 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 82% 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: $72.0 in Whanganui vs $72.0 in Dunedin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $324 per month, with Whanganui 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

Whanganui vs Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whanganui and Dunedin differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,701 vs $1,850 including rent). Whanganui is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dunedin earns 82% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,226 in Whanganui versus $878 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Whanganui runs roughly 12% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $362 in Whanganui versus $587 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,701 in Whanganui versus $1,850 in Dunedin, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Whanganui but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. The gap between the two cities makes Whanganui 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 Whanganui gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.