Dunedin Truck Rental Advice

Living in Dunedin

USAVE has a Dunedin truck rental location close to the city centre so we have plenty of experience of living and working here. We have compiled some information about living in Dunedin, so if you’re planning on relocating to the South Island’s second biggest city, we hope this information will be useful.

Geography

Dunedin is located on the Otago Peninsula on the east coast of the lower South Island, flanked by the Pacific Ocean. Dunedin extends to Waikouaiti in the north, the Waipori/Taieri River to the south-west and Middlemarch to the west.

A Unique Place to Live

Dunedin was New Zealand’s largest city by population until 1900 and by area until 2010
The city is home to the world’s steepest street – Baldwin St
New Zealand’s only castle, Larnach Castle, is located on the Otago Peninsula
Otago Peninsula is also home to the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross and other rare sealife
Dunedin Railway Station is the most photographed building in New Zealand
The University of Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery was the country’s first public art gallery

Dunedin’s Climate

Being close to the pacific ocean, Dunedin generally experiences warm summers with average temeratures reaching 30°C, and cool winters with very little snowfall. Dunedin experiences relatively low rainfall compared with many other New Zealand locations, but is one of the cloudiest areas. Weather conditions within Dunedin often vary between suburbs due to different microclimates created by the city’s topography. The hills surrounding the city often shield it from most of Otago’s weather, which tends to be quite cold and dry in winter and hot and dry in summer.

Living Costs

The cost of renting a 3 bedroom house in Dunedin is around $250-$260 per week, lower than the New Zealand average of $340 per week and mainly due to the large student population. The suburbs of St Clair, Mosgiel and Mornington offer a range of affordable family style homes, while around the City Rise area it is common to find larger villas and mansions. Inner-city apartments and townhouses are also becomming more common. House prices vary depending on the suburb but average house prices are around $250,000.

Find out more about the cost of living in New Zealand, including a cost of living calculator.

Working in Dunedin

Dunedin’s largest industry and biggest employer is tertiary education. Other key employers include manufacturing, health, retail, tourism and hospitality. Agriculture and dairy farming are prominent in the Otago region.

Education

Many of Dunedin’s schools offer a lower teacher/pupil ratio than elsewhere in New Zealand, and there are roughtly 60 primary schools, 5 intermediate schools and 5 secondary schools in the area. Dunedin also offers a wide range of early childhood education and childcare options, including kindergartens, childcare centres and pre-schools.

View a list of Dunedin schools for more details.

Study Options

Dunedin is renowned for its tertiary education and is considered the country’s centre of learning due to its excellent education facilities which include:

The University of Otago – the country’s oldest and largest university
Otago Polytechnic
Dunedin College of Education

There are more than 25,000 students living in Dunedin, giving the city a young, vibrant atmosphere and an active nightlife.

Crime

According to the New Zealand Crime Statistics 2010, Dunedin reported 835.8 incidents of crime per 10,000 people in 2010. This compares with Auckland with 1,184.8 incidents per 10,000, Canterbury with 932.2 incidents per 10,000 and Palmerston North with 1,003.1 incidents per 10,000.

Dunedin Suburbs

Inner Suburbs (clockwise, from north of the city centre)
Woodhaugh, Glenleith, Leith Valley, Dalmore, Liberton, Pine Hill, Normanby, Mt Mera, North East Valley, Opoho, Dunedin North, Ravensbourne, Highcliff, Shiel Hill, Challis, Waverley, Vauxhall, Ocean Grove (Tomahawk), Tainui, Andersons Bay, Musselburgh, South Dunedin, St Kilda, St Clair, Corstorphine, Kew, Forbury, Caversham, Concord, Maryhill, Kenmure, Mornington, Kaikorai Valley, City Rise, Belleknowes, Roslyn, Otago, Kaikorai, Wakari, Maori Hill.

Outer Suburbs (clockwise, from north of the city centre)
Burkes, Saint Leonards, Broad Bay, Company Bay, Macandrew Bay, Burnside, Green Island, Waldronville, Saddle Hill, Sunnyvale, Fairfield, Abbotsford, Bradford, Brockville, Halfway Bush, Helensburgh.

Satellite Towns (clockwise, from north of the city centre)
Waitati, Waikouaiti, Karitane, Seacliff, Warrington, Purakanui, Long Beach, Aramoana, Deborah Bay, Careys Bay, Port Chalmers, Sawyers Bay, Roseneath, Otakou, Portobello, Brighton, Taieri Mouth, Henley, Allanton, East Taieri, Momona, Outram, Mosgiel, West Taieri, Waipori, Middlemarch, Hyde.