Townleap

Cost of Living: Dunedin vs Graz (2026)

New Zealand vs Austria — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Dunedin
Graz
$991/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$772/mo
—
PR path
5 yr
—
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)
Freelance setup
—
EPU
  • VAT-free under €42k
  • 27% social
  • €1400/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRGraz is 22% cheaper on rent ($772/mo vs $991/mo). Graz is safer — homicide rate 0.9 vs 1.5 per 100k. Both countries will let you complain about the government in public — and mean it.
Graz edges ahead 80 to 72. Dunedin isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
How the livability score breaks down
Dunedin
Graz
19.3/25
💰 Affordability
21.4/25
13.5/15
🔒 Violent Crime
14.1/15
7.2/10
🛡️ Perceived Safety
7.3/10
5.3/15
⚡ Internet
5.3/15
14.4/15
🗳️ Democracy
12.4/15
10/10
🗣️ English
8.9/10
6.5/10
☀️ Climate
9.9/10
7.1/10
📊 Stability
7.1/10
4.3/10
🚗 Road Safety
9.1/10
5.9/10
🕊️ Geopolitical Safety
8.8/10
Household
Dunedin
Metric
Graz
✓$568/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$909/mo
—
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$4,786
88 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
87 / 100
1.5 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.9 / 100k✓
—
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
4.6 / 100k
72 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
73 / 100
64°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
77°F
39°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
27°F
—
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
15.1 μg/m³
—
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
85 / 100
✓9.6 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
8.3 / 10
✓8.3 / 9
🤝
Migrant acceptance
higher is better
6.1 / 9
✓81 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
50 / 100
✓100/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
74/100
$56k
💼
GDP per capita (PPP)
higher is better
$74k✓
2.9% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
2.9% · Boringly steady
✓99/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
93/100
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Graz
$219/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Graz
0.9 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Dunedin
9.6/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
—
64°F vs 77°F summers

Sun

How much sky you actually get

34% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
40% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
15.7h
Shortest day
Dec
8.6h
8.7h
Longest day
Jun
15.8h

Sun clocks out early in Graz's winter. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

Democracy trend
—
Inflation trend
stable →
—
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
—
EU visa
Easy
—
RU visa
Moderate
—
UA visa
Moderate
—
Spouse works
✅ Partner can work immediately
—
Partner pathway
Not recognized
eingetragene Partnerschaft

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
20 wk
Gestational limit
14 wk

On request up to 20 weeks since the Abortion Legislation Act 2020. After 20 weeks, permitted if a qualified health practitioner considers it clinically appropriate.

Legal within first trimester. Counseling required.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal
Marriage
Legal
Joint adoption
Adoption
Joint adoption
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
Yes

Dunedin vs Graz — Common Questions

Is Dunedin cheaper than Graz?▾

Graz is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $772/month there vs $991/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Dunedin or Graz?▾

Graz is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Dunedin has a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 and Graz has 0.88 per 100,000.

Should I move to Dunedin or Graz?▾

Graz edges ahead 80 to 72. Dunedin isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Dunedin or Graz?▾

Dunedin: no specific remote work visa. Graz: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Dunedin or Graz?▾

Graz is warmer in summer (77°F vs 64°F). Dunedin has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Dunedin or Graz without speaking the local language?▾

Dunedin is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Graz (74/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Dunedin vs Graz?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $772/month in Graz, $991/month in Dunedin (Numbeo). That's 22% cheaper rent in Graz.

Is Dunedin or Graz better for democracy and rule of law?▾

Dunedin scores 9.6/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 8.3/10 for Graz. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

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