Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Auckland and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,513 in Auckland versus $861 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,509 in Auckland versus $1,524 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,506 in Auckland versus $2,187 in Masterton.

Living in Auckland is roughly 192% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Auckland is 83% above, Masterton is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 NZ$25.07

$9.67 NZ$16.24

54.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 NZ$118

$70.8 NZ$119

-0.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 NZ$16.94

$8.91 NZ$14.97

13.13%

Cappuccino

$3.54 NZ$5.95

$3.46 NZ$5.82

2.31%

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

$2.05 NZ$3.44

$2.12 NZ$3.56

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.42

$1.16 NZ$1.95

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.04

$4.11 NZ$6.90

74.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 NZ$12.83

$3.63 NZ$6.09

110.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 NZ$3.21

$1.50 NZ$2.52

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 NZ$3.68

$2.38 NZ$4.00

-7.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.15

$1.11 NZ$1.86

69.37%

Eggs

$6.14 NZ$10.32

$6.76 NZ$11.36

-9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 NZ$14.91

$8.96 NZ$15.04

-0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 NZ$16.85

$10.30 NZ$17.29

-2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 NZ$28.99

$15.83 NZ$26.58

9.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.93

$2.31 NZ$3.89

27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.60

$1.88 NZ$3.15

13.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 NZ$5.15

$3.12 NZ$5.23

-1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 NZ$9.59

$4.74 NZ$7.95

20.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.57

$1.63 NZ$2.73

30.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 NZ$2.97

$1.18 NZ$1.97

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 NZ$3.35

$1.81 NZ$3.03

10.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$1.99

$0.52 NZ$0.87

128.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.65 NZ$48.11

$20.92 NZ$35.13

36.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 NZ$17.25

$12.00 NZ$20.15

-14.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 NZ$4.78

$0.97 NZ$1.63

192.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$5.71

$1.26 NZ$2.11

169.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 NZ$4.45

$2.32 NZ$3.89

14.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$129 NZ$217

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 NZ$4.02

$1.92 NZ$3.22

24.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 NZ$3.54

$1.91 NZ$3.21

10.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.40 NZ$56.1

$34.75 NZ$58.4

-3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.84 NZ$3.09

1.63%

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

$26.6K NZ$44.6K

$23.7K NZ$39.9K

11.88%

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

$23.8K NZ$39.9K

$26.0K NZ$43.6K

-8.43%

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

$199 NZ$334

$59.5 NZ$100.0

233.95%

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

$28.10 NZ$47.19

$31.08 NZ$52.2

-9.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$88.7

$56.9 NZ$95.5

-7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 NZ$68.7

$44.61 NZ$74.9

-8.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.23

$8.75 NZ$14.69

98.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 NZ$22.35

$9.95 NZ$16.71

33.77%

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

$1,202 NZ$2,019

$1,090 NZ$1,831

10.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K NZ$35.4K

$13.7K NZ$23.0K

54.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 NZ$130

$60.1 NZ$101

29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.48 NZ$76.4

$30.00 NZ$50.4

51.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 NZ$150

$108 NZ$182

-17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 NZ$200

$150 NZ$252

-20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 NZ$2,196

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 NZ$2,081

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,376 NZ$3,989

$1,053 NZ$1,768

125.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 NZ$2,984

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,235 NZ$13.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,476 NZ$9,195

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,193 NZ$5,362

$2,471 NZ$4,149

29.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.39

-1.11%

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

Last update for Auckland: August 17, 2026

Last update for Masterton: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Auckland pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $70.0 in Auckland vs $71.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $344 vs $307, 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

Auckland vs Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton wins on cost – living expenses run 192% lower than in Auckland. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Masterton the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Auckland, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,202 in Auckland versus $1,090 in Masterton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Masterton – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $70.0 in Auckland. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $861 in Masterton versus $2,513 in Auckland, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Auckland. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Masterton delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Masterton hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Auckland 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.

Expats usually find Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Auckland. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.