NZ flag
Dunedin

New Zealand

vs
NZ flag
Hamilton

New Zealand

Climate

Dunedin logs 21 frost days a year to Hamilton's 5 — Hamilton wins by 16. Hamilton also leads on outdoor-dinner months by 5.

DunedinHamilton
Sunny days
178181
Hot days
00
Frost days
215
Rain days
136129
Outdoor dinner months
0/125/12
Avg wind
3.4 m/s3.6 m/s
Sunshine hours
2,1172,146
Darkest month sun
108 hrs/mo115 hrs/mo
UV peak month
7.29.1

Dunedin

Feels-like °C

18
16
13
9
3
1
-1
2
5
10
13
14

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Hamilton

Feels-like °C

21
22
18
14
10
7
5
7
8
13
16
20

Dinner outside

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Cost of Living

Dunedin is $93/mo cheaper

Dunedin runs about $2,135/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Hamilton's $2,228/mo — Dunedin comes in $93 cheaper each month, roughly 4% less.

Dunedin

$2,135

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,641Comfort $3,268
Cheaper than 83%in Among 23 Oceania cities

Hamilton

$2,228

monthly · balanced

Minimalist $1,697Comfort $3,524
Cheaper than 70%in Among 23 Oceania cities

Mobility

On mobility, Hamilton scores 1.8 vs Dunedin's 1.4 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on motorbike/scooter efficiency. Dunedin still holds an edge on car efficiency.

1.4/5
vs
1.8/5
DunedinHamilton
Car Efficiency
Car Efficiency
Hamilton leads

Culture

Hamilton's culture score of 2.9 sits well above Dunedin's 2.0, with the biggest gap on history museums. Dunedin still holds an edge on nightlife.

2.0/5
vs
2.9/5
DunedinHamilton
Nightlife
Hamilton leads

Nature & Outdoors

Dunedin's nature & outdoors score of 4.0 sits well above Hamilton's 3.2, with the biggest gap on hiking.

4.0/5
vs
3.2/5
DunedinHamilton
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningHikingCampingBeachSurfingDivingSkiingClimbing
SeaMountainsForestGreen AreasLakesRunningCampingBeachSurfingSkiingClimbing
Dunedin leads

Safety

Dunedin and Hamilton score neck-and-neck on safety (4.4 vs 4.3, 0–5 scale).

4.4/5
vs
4.3/5
DunedinHamilton
Earthquake

Career

Hamilton's career score of 2.3 sits well above Dunedin's 2.0, with the biggest gap on economic scale.

2.0/5
vs
2.3/5
Hamilton leads

Social & Community

Hamilton's social & community score of 3.3 sits well above Dunedin's 2.8, with the biggest gap on multicultural mix.

2.8/5
vs
3.3/5
DunedinHamilton
Everyday EnglishExpat Integration ExperienceLocal-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Everyday EnglishMulticultural MixExpat Integration ExperienceLocal-First CommunityGovernment Immigration FriendlinessAdmin English Support
Hamilton leads

Food & Dining

On food & dining, Hamilton scores 2.2 vs Dunedin's 1.6 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on vegan & vegetarian options.

1.6/5
vs
2.2/5
DunedinHamilton
Delivery
Hamilton leads

Family

On family, Hamilton scores 2.4 vs Dunedin's 1.9 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools.

1.9/5
vs
2.4/5
DunedinHamilton
Groceries
UniversitiesAmenitiesPlaygroundsGroceriesGym
Hamilton leads

Healthcare

Dunedin and Hamilton score neck-and-neck on healthcare (2.7 vs 2.7, 0–5 scale).

2.7/5
vs
2.7/5
DunedinHamilton
Public Healthcare
Public Healthcare

Air Quality

Dunedin averages 5.7 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Hamilton's 6.1 µg/m³ (good) — Dunedin breathes ~7% cleaner air (0.4 µg/m³ lower).

Dunedin

Hamilton

5.7µg/m³
6.1µg/m³

PM2.5 annual average

Good
Good

WHO classification

City Scale

Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.

Dunedin (84K) and Hamilton (176K) are 2.1x in population — Hamilton is the larger metro, Dunedin the smaller; on land area Hamilton spans roughly 1.7x more ground.

1.9x

Hamilton is roughly 1.9x the scale of Dunedin

Combined population & area comparison

NZ flagHamilton
1.9x
NZ flagDunedin
1x

City Scale Rankings

Population
1.NZ flagHamilton176K2.1x
2.NZ flagDunedin84K1x
Area
1.NZ flagHamilton80 km²1.7x
2.NZ flagDunedin46 km²1x
© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
11 km8.3 km

NZ flagDunedin

© Stadia Maps, © OpenMapTiles, © OpenStreetMap contributors
11 km12 km

NZ flagHamilton

Who Thrives Here

Frequently asked about Dunedin vs Hamilton

Which is cheaper, Dunedin or Hamilton?
Dunedin is approximately $93 per month cheaper. Dunedin averages $2,135/mo while Hamilton averages $2,228/mo.
How does the climate compare between Dunedin and Hamilton?
Sunny days: 178 vs 181 d — Similar Annual sunshine: 2,117 vs 2,146 hrs — Similar Winter sunshine: 108 vs 115 hrs/day — Similar Hot days (>30°C): 0 vs 0 d — Similar Frost days: 21 vs 5 d — Hamilton lower Rainy days: 136 vs 129 d — Similar
Is Dunedin or Hamilton safer?
Both cities have similar safety profiles, scoring around 4.4/5 on our aggregate safety index covering street safety, property crime, and natural hazards.
Should I move to Dunedin or Hamilton?
Dunedin and Hamilton are both popular relocation destinations with distinct characteristics. Dunedin is generally more affordable, while Hamilton may offer different lifestyle advantages. The best choice depends on your priorities — climate preferences, career opportunities, cost constraints, and lifestyle needs. Take the personalized quiz to find your ideal match, or explore the map to compare cities by region and lifestyle factors.

The best city depends on what matters to you

This comparison shows how Dunedin and Hamilton stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.

Take the free diagnostic

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