Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Arecibo and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,485 in Arecibo versus $1,485 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,232 in Arecibo versus $2,448 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,979 in Arecibo versus $3,411 in Masterton.

Monthly costs are close between Arecibo and Masterton; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arecibo 11% above, Masterton 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$9.82 NZ$16.79

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$90.0 NZ$154

-43.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 $7.62

$9.28 NZ$15.86

-17.89%

Cappuccino

$3.24 $3.24

$3.15 NZ$5.38

2.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.08 NZ$3.55

-29.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.66 NZ$2.83

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.71 NZ$6.34

-45.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.31 NZ$7.38

-7.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.49 NZ$2.54

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.69 NZ$2.88

95.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.16 NZ$1.99

87.07%

Eggs

$3.86 $3.86

$6.00 NZ$10.26

-35.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$7.33 NZ$12.54

23.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$9.43 NZ$16.12

-30.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 $8.91

$12.14 NZ$20.76

-26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$1.86 NZ$3.18

211.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.86 NZ$3.18

9.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.56 NZ$4.38

55.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.33 NZ$5.70

23.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.45 NZ$2.48

171.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.18 NZ$2.01

156.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.77 NZ$3.03

25.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.90 NZ$1.55

62.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 $7.97

$20.04 NZ$34.26

-60.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.39 $15.39

$10.74 NZ$18.37

43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.32 NZ$3.97

-9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.59 NZ$4.43

22.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-16.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.34 $40.34

$64.0 NZ$109

-36.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.78 NZ$3.04

-16.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 $14.70

$40.81 NZ$69.8

-63.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.68 NZ$2.87

-45.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.6K $36.6K

$24.1K NZ$41.3K

51.46%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.1K $24.1K

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

3.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$179 $179

$79.5 NZ$136

125.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$79.4 $79.4

$31.57 NZ$54.0

151.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$48.75 NZ$83.4

41.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 $40.04

$40.52 NZ$69.3

-1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 NZ$15.21

Cinema Ticket

$7.19 $7.19

$8.13 NZ$13.89

-11.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$466 $466

$397 NZ$678

17.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,950 $3,950

$4,896 NZ$8,371

-19.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.20 $45.20

$70.2 NZ$120

-35.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.84 $14.84

$30.07 NZ$51.4

-50.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$104 NZ$178

-14.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 $81.7

$113 NZ$194

-27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$785 NZ$1,342

-37.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 $403

$612 NZ$1,046

-34.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 $1,058

$1,269 NZ$2,169

-16.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 $682

$1,072 NZ$1,833

-36.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 $1,211

$2,456 NZ$4,200

-50.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

6.69

-37.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arecibo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Masterton: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Arecibo and $785 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 103% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $51.0 in Arecibo vs $90.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $330 vs $276, with Masterton cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arecibo vs Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Masterton earns 103% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $491 in Arecibo versus $785 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Masterton runs roughly 59% less than in Arecibo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Arecibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,485 in Masterton versus $1,485 in Arecibo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Arecibo. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arecibo and Masterton are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Masterton wins on affordability, Arecibo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.