Dunedin at a glance
- Dunedin ranks 3rd of 10 priced cities in New Zealand on cost: $1,491 a month in essentials, 26% above Rotorua, the cheapest.
- The average net salary of $2,589 covers that 1.7×.
- 94.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at territorial authority level.
- PM2.5 averages 3.9 µg/m³ a year, 1× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 10 New Zealand cities we track, so every row says whether Dunedin is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,491 | $1,915 | 1.28ร as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $784 | $1,070 | 1.36ร as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $899 | $1,252 | 1.39ร as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $169 | $179 | $10 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $316 | $321 | $5 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $152 | $208 | 1.37ร as much |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $70 | $90 | 1.29ร as much |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $2,589 | $3,000 | $411 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $1,218 | $1,540 | 1.26ร as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,545 | $1,699 | $154 |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Dunedin, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $14.64 | $14.50 | $0.14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $64.42 | $70.28 | $5.86 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $11.71 | $9.84 | $1.87 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.37 | $3.43 | $0.06 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $7.03 | $7.03 | same |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $5.86 | $6.75 | $0.88 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $2.27 | $2.21 | $0.06 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $2.27 | $1.94 | $0.33 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.90 | $1.90 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $1.77 | $1.90 | $0.13 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.80 | $1.80 | same |
| Eggs, 12 | $5.84 | $6.04 | $0.20 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $8.13 | $8.05 | $0.08 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $9.78 | $9.86 | $0.08 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $3.08 | $3.02 | $0.06 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $2.43 | $2.19 | $0.24 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $5.30 | $5.46 | $0.17 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.93 | $2.04 | $0.11 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.89 | $1.60 | $0.28 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.60 | $1.18 | 1.97ร as much |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $1.32 | $1.76 | 1.33ร as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $70.28 | $95.75 | 1.36ร as much |
| Taxi start | $5.86 | $2.34 | 2.50ร as much |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.80 | $1.73 | $0.07 |
| Basic utilities, 85 mยฒ flat | $98.25 | $158.37 | 1.61ร as much |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $54.23 | $51.60 | $2.63 |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $28.70 | $28.70 | same |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $54.17 | $40.16 | 1.35ร as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $10.69 | $10.76 | $0.07 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Dunedin has 94.6 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (territorial authority level). That is the lowest of the 10 New Zealand cities we track. New Zealand's national figure is 103.7, so Dunedin runs 9 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Dunedin ranks against every city we track
Dunedin sits ahead of 98% of the 898 cities we track on clean air. On women aged 20โ39 it is ahead of 80% of 892. Its weakest measure is cost of living, ahead of only 35% of 542.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Dunedin sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: Marek ลlusarczyk (Tupungato) Photo portfolio, CC BY 3.0.
