Temperature
February has the warmest monthly average (13.9°C); July is coolest (7.6°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
New Zealand · Visit or make it home
Dunedin, New Zealand
Dunedin is a city in New Zealand. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Dunedin
A sense of the place
Dunedin is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand , and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from Dùn Èideann , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. With an estimated population of 132,800 as of June 2025, Dunedin is New Zealand’s seventh most populous metropolitan and urban area. For cultural, geographical, and historical reasons, the city has long been considered one of New Zealand's four main centres. The urban area of Dunedin lies on the central-eastern coast of Otago, surrounding the head of Otago Harbour. The harbour and hills around Dunedin are the remnants of an extinct volcano. The city suburbs extend out into the surrounding valleys and hills, onto the isthmus of the Otago Peninsula, and along the shores of the Otago Harbour and the Pacific Ocean. Archaeological evidence points to the beginning of a lengthy occupation of the Dunedin area by Māori between 1250 and 1300 AD, with many pā constructed during the Classical period.
Weather through the year
When to visit Dunedin
Rain and outdoor plans
January averages about 69 mm of rain, compared with 43 mm in August. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.
Planning time outdoors
January, February, March, December combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.2 | 11.6 | 9.9 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 9.9 | 11.2 | 12.7 |
| Rain, mm | 69 | 62 | 54 | 56 | 69 | 55 | 46 | 43 | 47 | 60 | 63 | 66 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Places around Dunedin
Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.
Beach
Ocean Beach
3.9 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityBotanical garden
Dunedin Botanic Garden
2.3 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityForest
The Clump
12.5 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityMuseum
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityPark
Queens Gardens
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityAverage rent in Dunedin
What is the average rent in Dunedin?
NZD 520 per week is the recorded median for new private tenancies across Dunedin City, dated 2026-07. A median is not an average, and this provisional rental-bond reference includes all home sizes. Use it as market context, then compare actual listings, home size, utilities and travel costs for your stay.
Source: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment · Reference date: 2026-07-01 · License
Average salary in Dunedin
What is the average salary in Dunedin?
3,797.9 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2022. It describes New Zealand, not average salary in Dunedin. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.
Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2022 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)
How should I compare Dunedin with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Dunedin, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
3,797.9 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2022. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Rental market in Dunedin City
NZD 368–NZD 600 / week
The middle half of recorded new private tenancies falls in this range, with a median of NZD 520 per week. It covers all home sizes across Dunedin City, rather than a central one-bedroom apartment.
2026-07 · Provisional rental-bond data. Use this as a starting point for comparing homes.Compare with another cityYour relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Dunedin in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Dunedin at a glance
Annual precipitation
687 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Average annual temperature
10.7 C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
24.4 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →New Zealand: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Dunedin. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 10 national indicators
Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
53,600 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
93.5 percent
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank / ITU — Individuals using the Internet, % (IT.NET.USER.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
82 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →English / language accessibility
100 ordinal_0_100
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: Wikidata — coordinates, population, timezone, ISO codes, official languages · CC0 1.0Compare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
29.5 percent_gdp
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Tax revenue % of GDP (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
3,797.9 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2022. Limited confidence. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
1.5 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2022. Source: World Bank / UNODC — Intentional homicides per 100k (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
119.2 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2025. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — Price level index, household consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
6.9 µg/m³
Data period: 2023. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
155 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Other places to compare in New Zealand
What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Dunedin with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.
All maintained comparisons →