Living in Dunedin

In Dunedin, the median rent tenants pay is €1,127 a month (2026) and unemployment is 5% (2023).

Residents of Dunedin numbered 132,800 at the end of 2025. Dunedin's unemployment stood at 5% at the end of 2023. A foreign population count of 27,201 was recorded at the end of 2023.

Last checked 2026-10-0214 sources

Population132,800people31 Dec 2025Official source · Stats NZ

Median gross salary (region)3,328EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter

Median rent1,127EUR/month31 Jul 2026Official source · Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent)

Unemployment rate5%country median 3.3% — 52% aboveOfficial source · Stats NZ

Which New Zealand-wide rules apply when you move to Dunedin?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in New ZealandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Dunedin.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month

€ / month

Mobile plan, 10 GB€37

Internet, 60 Mbps€36

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	35.54 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	One NZ fixed broadband⁶Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB	37.06 EUR/month	30 Sept 2026	One NZ Endless Plus⁶Official · national market
Median monthly rent	1,127 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent)¹²Official

Is Dunedin a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker54%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 45–63%

Skilled employee59%strong on work, weak on safety · range 50–68%

Student39%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 29–49%

Family54%strong on family, weak on safety · range 44–64%

Retirement31%strong on housing, weak on admin · range 19–43%

Worked out from these numbers

How international is the population?

20.5% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 27,201 of 132,800 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.

Work and income

Unemployment across cities in New ZealandUnemployment in Dunedin is 5.0%. Of 91 cities with data, 42 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

0–22–44–66–88–1014–16

Dunedin 5.0%

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Median gross salary (regional)	3,328 EUR/month	31 Dec 2024	Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter⁴Official · regional context
Unemployment rate	5 %country median 3.3%	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁹Official

What does a salary buy in Dunedin?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

Left over each month€1,461of €2,661 take-home

Rent
Internet
Mobile
Left over

Line-by-line breakdown and sources

Each month	€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.	€2,661
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Tenancy Services (MBIE) · 2026-07-31	− €1,127
Internet€36 · official · One NZ fixed broadband · 2026-09-30	− €36
Mobile plan€37 · official · One NZ Endless Plus · 2026-09-30	− €37
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities	—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish	€1,461

Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Dunedin Salary needed to live in Dunedin

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Dunedin. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Work and Income employment service — Public employment service

Ministry of Social Development, New Zealand

Job Search

Open official service

Open the New Zealand service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Dunedin. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
GP practices	23 count	16 Sept 2026	Healthpoint General Practice (GP) directory³Official
Hospital beds per 100,000 residents	339.6 beds per 100,000	16 Sept 2026	Certified Public hospital providers CSV¹Official
Hospitals	2 count	16 Sept 2026	Certified Public hospital providers CSV¹Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Dunedin when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Hospital beds per 100,000 residents339.6 beds per 100,000Verified 2026-09-16

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Mobility and administration

Dunedin's nearest airport was DUD, 24 km away and offered 3 direct destinations.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport	3 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights⁷Official
Distance to the nearest major airport	24 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁸Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)	DUD	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports⁸Official

Language courses and integration in Dunedin

3 exact course-location records are linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

3verified local records

English Language Partners New Zealand

Level 2, 43 Princes Street, Dunedin

View official record

University of Otago Language Centre

60 Clyde Street, Dunedin

View official record

Te Pūkenga – Otago Polytechnic

Forth Street, Dunedin

View official record

Check courses in Dunedin How the country programme works

Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Dunedin

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperature moved from 13.8°C in January to 7.6°C in July.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Monthly extreme high temperature	Jan 25.77 · Feb 26.17 · Mar 23.39 · Apr 20.17 · May 20.11 · Jun 15.45 · Jul 14.51 · Aug 15.36 · Sep 17.44 · Oct 19.33 · Nov 21.77 · Dec 23.26 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁵Official · coordinate grid
Monthly extreme low temperature	Jan 7.8 · Feb 7.4 · Mar 6.66 · Apr 5.75 · May 3.03 · Jun 2.94 · Jul 2.28 · Aug 1.52 · Sep 3.29 · Oct 3.44 · Nov 4.45 · Dec 6.17 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁵Official · coordinate grid
Average temperature by month	Jan 13.8 · Feb 13.89 · Mar 13.15 · Apr 11.59 · May 9.88 · Jun 8.2 · Jul 7.59 · Aug 8.03 · Sep 9.01 · Oct 9.88 · Nov 11.22 · Dec 12.72 °C	31 Dec 2001	NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center⁵Official · coordinate grid

Population and city profile

Dunedin spanned 3,286.1 km² at the end of 2023. Population density was 40.4 people per km² at the end of 2024.

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

By nationality

National passport79.5%
Foreign residents20.5%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	3,286 km²	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ¹⁰Official
Foreign-resident share	21.1 %	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁹Official
Foreign residents	27,201 people	31 Dec 2023	Stats NZ⁹Official
Population density	40.4 people/km²	31 Dec 2024	Stats NZ⁹Official
Population	132,800 people	31 Dec 2025	Stats NZ⁹Official

Population over time30 published observations, 1996–2025

118,188

123,563

128,937

134,312

132,800199620022008201420202025

Population rose 9.9% between 1996 and 2025, from 120,800 to 132,800.

International community in Dunedin

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
Asia	7,473	7.4%
United Kingdom and Ireland	5,769	5.7%
Australia	2,358	2.3%
Middle East and Africa	2,205	2.2%
Europe (excl United Kingdom and Ireland)	1,755	1.7%
North America	1,692	1.7%
Pacific Islands	1,566	1.6%
Other	408	0.4%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Ancestry or ethnicity

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
European	83,706	83.0%
Māori	11,304	11.2%
Asian	11,022	10.9%
Pacific Peoples	4,563	4.5%
Middle Eastern/Latin American/African	2,010	2.0%
Other Ethnicity	1,245	1.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Ancestry or ethnicity

Census usually resident population count for the 2023 Census place-summary geography · 2023 Census

Published group	People	Share
New Zealand European	77,886	77.2%
Māori	11,304	11.2%
Other European	7,446	7.4%
Chinese	3,663	3.6%
Indian	2,754	2.7%
Southeast Asian	2,733	2.7%
Samoan	2,061	2.0%
Other Asian	1,845	1.8%
Other Ethnicity	1,245	1.2%
Middle Eastern	1,095	1.1%

Show 11 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Cook Islands Maori	1,071	1.1%
Tongan	921	0.9%
Latin American	540	0.5%
African	390	0.4%
European nfd	366	0.4%
Fijian	333	0.3%
Other Pacific Peoples	276	0.3%
Asian nfd	204	0.2%
Niuean	198	0.2%
Tokelauan	114	0.1%
Pacific Peoples nfd	33	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source¹¹

Alternatives for people set on Dunedin

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Lower Hutt as a Dunedin alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 628 km, better on 3 of 5 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

Median gross pay, region: €3,848 Lower Hutt vs €3,328 Dunedin+16%
Foreign residents: 27.6% Lower Hutt vs 21.1% Dunedin+31%
Unemployment: 4.4% Lower Hutt vs 5.0% Dunedin−12%
Hospital beds, per 100k: 282.0 Lower Hutt vs 339.6 Dunedin−17%
Residents: 114,200 Lower Hutt vs 132,800 Dunedin−14%

Full comparison More about Lower Hutt

Cities near Dunedin

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in New Zealand

Other cities in New Zealand to compare with Dunedin, nearest in population first.

All New Zealand cities

Lower Hutt114,200 residents Tauranga161,000 residents Hamilton174,741 residents New Plymouth90,100 residents Wellington202,689 residents Palmerston North78,021 residents

How does Dunedin compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Dunedin's.

Open the full comparison

Dunedin in rankings

#3 of 22 in Cheapest cities to rent in New Zealand #6 of 29 in Largest cities in New Zealand #11 of 23 in Most international cities in New Zealand #22 of 27 in Cities with lowest unemployment in New Zealand

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

What is the typical salary around Dunedin?

The median gross salary is 3,328 EUR/month. Source: Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter.

What is the unemployment rate in Dunedin?

The unemployment rate is 5 %. Source: Stats NZ.

How many people live in Dunedin?

The published population is 132,800 people. Source: Stats NZ.

How many foreign residents live in Dunedin?

27,201 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Stats NZ.

Is Dunedin a good place to live?

Dunedin may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Dunedin?

North East Valley, Mosgiel are near Dunedin. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people born in Asia live in Dunedin?

The official country of birth distribution records 7,473 people (7.4%) in the source-defined population for 2023 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Dunedin, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 0f28a046ff079fecdd7ffb456cbe8bdd]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/dunedin/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_dunedin-new-zealand-population-rent-salary-jobs_ba1e3c9ccd90,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Dunedin, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {0f28a046ff079fecdd7ffb456cbe8bdd},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/dunedin/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Dunedin, New Zealand: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/nz/dunedin/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 0f28a046ff079fecdd7ffb456cbe8bdd; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

Certified Public hospital providers CSV health.govt.nz · checked 2026-09-15
Coordinate identity evidence services2.arcgis.com · checked 2026-09-06
Healthpoint General Practice (GP) directory healthpoint.co.nz · checked 2026-09-15
Linked Employer-Employee Dataset: LEED measures by industry (based on ANZSIC06) and region, December 2024 quarter figure.nz · checked 2026-09-28
NASA POWER / NASA Langley Research Center power.larc.nasa.gov · checked 2026-08-05
One NZ fixed broadband one.nz · checked 2026-09-15
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Stats NZ tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-08-03
Stats NZ services2.arcgis.com · checked 2026-08-03

Show 4 more sources

Stats NZ / Tatauranga Aotearoa tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz · checked 2026-08-30
Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Detailed monthly rental bond data by territorial authority (median weekly rent) Tenancy Services (MBIE) · tenancy.govt.nz · checked 2026-09-18
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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