The best suburbs in Dunedin: A local’s view

Before you jump on TradeMe Property and start househunting there are a few things you should know about choosing a property in Dunedin:

• Sun is everything: Dunedin is cold and wet in the winter so it’s important to pick a location that’s in a good position to get lots of sun all day (sun path apps like Sun Seeker are great for checking each house individually). 
• Dunedin has an elevated flood risk in low lying areas, particularly around South Dunedin. Do your homework on natural hazards and always look at a LIM before buying. 
• The student area around North Dunedin is best avoided if you’re not a student (coming from a former student). 
• Dunedin has lots of old homes. These have plenty of character, but they’re often single glazed with minimal insulation. If you've got the budget it’s worth going for something that’s heavily insulated, double glazed, and warm - or putting aside a budget to insulate and double glaze before you purchase. 

Median HomesEstimate: $815,000

St Clair is my pick for Dunedin’s best suburb. It’s a tiny area, wrapping around a beach with one of New Zealand’s best surf breaks, great cafes and bars on the Esplanade, plus these awesome hot salt water pools. Despite the villagey, beachey vibes out here it’s only around 8 minutes driving to the CBD, or less than 15 on a bus or bike.

The homes in St Clair are mainly older properties with lots of charm, but there are a few new builds and townhouses popping up, many of which get great all day sun. The lifestyle here is dreamy; think walking the dog on the beach, grabbing a woodfired pizza with a seaview, surfing on your lunch break.  

The downside? The suburb is small and extremely popular so prices reflect that, but if you’re moving from another major city you may still find it affordable.

Local tip: It’s never too cold for gelato and St Clair’s Sorella serves the best pistachio gelato in NZ.

Median HomesEstimate: $925,000

Māori Hill sits on the ridgeline just above the hill northwest of the city, and may be Dunedin’s sunniest (and possibly fanciest) area. It’s also incredibly well located, taking around 7 minutes to drive from here to Dunedin or 10 to 20 minutes on a bus.

The streets are leafy, the homes are stately, and the little village centre has lots of good stuff - like Spelt Bakery, a wine bar, and No. 7 Balmac (one of the city’s best restaurants). The area is near Dunedin’s best schools, a few good walking trails, and is great for kids, but it is rather expensive on a Dunedin scale. The hill can also be tricky to navigate when things get icy!

Median HomesEstimate: $810,000

Roslyn is right next door to Māori Hill and it’s got more of the same good stuff (but it’s even closer to town). Large parts of the area have all day sun, and it takes just 15-20 minutes to walk down into the CBD from here, although the walk back is brutally steep.

There are lots of lovely old homes with views over the city, but there are small, affordable units here too; making it more accessible than Māori Hill. The shops are great as well. There are a couple great cafes, an amazing pizza place called Mamma Mia, the best bakery in Dunedin, lovely restaurants, plus useful stuff like a supermarket and pharmacy. The community is tight knit and vocal, but friendly and great for families.

Local tip: like Roslyn and Maori Hill but don’t like the prices? Wakari and Helensburgh are worth a look - they’ve got similar vibes, but they’re slightly more rural, and you get more for your money.

Median HomesEstimate: $735,000

Belleknowes is next door to Roslyn, so like Maori Hill, it’s got lots of the same good stuff. It’s a little suburb on a hill that stretches from City Rise, through Jubilee Park, up to the Kaikorai Valley - and it’s known for having lots of greenery, great views, and quiet streets. It doesn’t have many shops to speak of, but if you live near Mornington or Roslyn, it’s easy enough to walk or drive to their town centres for takeaways, cafes, groceries and shopping. 

It’s not as well known, or well serviced by shops as its neighbour Roslyn, but in some ways that’s a good thing since the average house here is a bit cheaper. 

Median HomesEstimate: $560,000

Next to Belleknowes is Mornington, a great all round suburb that ticks all the boxes. It’s nice and quiet, has the best shops of all the hill suburbs, including a supermarket, and Dunedin’s best ice cream shop. Plus it’s a super easy commute into town (3 mins by car) and has a reliable, regular bus service.

Mornington can be a bit expensive if you’re buying a detached house. That is, despite the suspiciously low Median HomesEstimate, which I suspect has been dragged down by a higher proportion of units and townhouses than similar suburbs.

Local tip: Mornington is one of Dunedin’s best suburbs but it does have shady areas. Take extra care if buying here to make sure your home gets lots of sun.

Median HomesEstimate: $650,000

Andy Bay is an area at the base of the Otago Peninsula that is quiet, convenient, and underrated. There’s lots of families (and a few oldies) here so there’s a quiet, residential vibe - plus plenty of homes have old school character and harbour views.

Bayfield School down the road has a great reputation, and the Otago Peninsula’s beautiful nature is on your doorstep here. It’s not as well connected or serviced by shops as somewhere like Roslyn, but it’s also much cheaper and quieter. 

Median HomesEstimate: $530,000

North East Valley is an underrated, affordable, and liveable area - if you pick the right house. The valley floor and the shaded side are freezing and damp, but if you live on the sunny side of the hill you’ll be golden.

The commute to town is short (15 min bus), the streets are quiet and leafy, and the suburb directly borders the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. It’s also home to the world’s steepest street, and my favourite bagel spot in the city - Beam Me Up.

Median HomesEstimate: $705,000

The Otago Peninsula is one of New Zealand's most beautiful stretches of coastline - if it were in the North Island it’d be jam packed with tourists and multi-millionaires. Instead you can buy a house out here for less than an Auckland apartment.

Macandrew Bay is perhaps the nicest spot out on the peninsula. It’s about a 20 minute drive from the CBD, and the commute from here to town is probably the country’s most scenic; plus if you’re into cycling the beautiful Otago Harbour Cycleway is on your doorstep.

There’s a seaside cafe and dairy, lots of charming homes with sea views, plus a little sandy beach where sea lions occasionally hang out. The obvious downside is the distance from town, which locals say is worsened by infrequent bus service - but if you’re looking for serenity you’ll find it here.

Median HomesEstimate: $660,000

If you want to build rather than buy, on flat land rather than a hill, and you need your budget to go a little further, Mosgiel is a great option. Yes, it’s a 20 minute drive, or a 40 minute bus from the city, but it’s Dunedin’s most active new build market for a reason.

There are lots of young families and first home buyers out here, alongside farmland and stately old homes that used to be rural. Because it’s flat here most sections get all day sun. Mosgiel also has a solid town centre with a fruit n’ veg store, a Mitre 10, a Woolworths, plus a few cafes, restaurants, a pub and a wine bar. The two local schools down the road in Taieri are well regarded.