Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,529 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $2,449 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $3,368 in Masterton.

Living in Beirut costs roughly 9% less than in Masterton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 4% above, Masterton 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$10.06 NZ$17.21

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$92.1 NZ$158

-35.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$9.00 NZ$15.39

-12.89%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$3.23 NZ$5.53

2.79%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$2.13 NZ$3.64

-26.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$1.66 NZ$2.84

-47.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$3.58 NZ$6.12

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$4.13 NZ$7.07

19.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.50 NZ$2.56

18.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$1.61 NZ$2.75

-50.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.21 NZ$2.07

50.41%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$6.12 NZ$10.47

-49.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$7.24 NZ$12.39

53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$8.93 NZ$15.27

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$12.43 NZ$21.27

-7.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$1.76 NZ$3.01

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.86 NZ$3.19

-22.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$2.46 NZ$4.21

-53.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$3.42 NZ$5.86

-69.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.40 NZ$2.40

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.21 NZ$2.07

-14.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$1.77 NZ$3.03

-49.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.89 NZ$1.52

-40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$20.72 NZ$35.45

-87.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$10.76 NZ$18.42

-5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$2.26 NZ$3.86

-42.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$2.73 NZ$4.68

-21.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$2.46 NZ$4.22

-19.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$62.8 NZ$108

13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$2.47 NZ$4.22

100.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.86 NZ$3.18

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$41.59 NZ$71.2

-51.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$1.63 NZ$2.79

-42.94%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$24.5K NZ$41.9K

42.16%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

21.95%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$81.2 NZ$139

167.22%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$32.37 NZ$55.4

15.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$47.52 NZ$81.3

-21.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$41.20 NZ$70.5

65.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

$8.82 NZ$15.10

236.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$8.32 NZ$14.23

-5.89%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$397 NZ$679

-23.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$4,782 NZ$8,181

-5.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$70.3 NZ$120

-0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$30.18 NZ$51.6

48.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$104 NZ$178

16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$113 NZ$194

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$794 NZ$1,359

-0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$604 NZ$1,034

-37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$1,234 NZ$2,111

58.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$1,084 NZ$1,854

-10.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

$2,458 NZ$4,205

-70.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

6.69

66.82%

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

Last update for Beirut: July 12, 2026

Last update for Masterton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $794 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 244% 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: $60.0 in Beirut vs $92.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $274 per month, with Beirut cheaper across the board.

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

Beirut vs Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 244% lower in Masterton. 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: $789 in Beirut versus $794 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $1,529 in Masterton – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 13% less than in Masterton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,529 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beirut but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Beirut 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, Beirut 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 Beirut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.