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: $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,511 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $2,446 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $3,381 in Masterton.

Living in Beirut costs roughly 5% less than in Masterton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 7% above, Masterton 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$9.85 NZ$16.78

9.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$90.9 NZ$155

-34.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$9.20 NZ$15.67

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.20 NZ$5.45

2.19%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$2.13 NZ$3.62

-25.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$1.65 NZ$2.81

-44.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.72 NZ$6.34

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$4.27 NZ$7.26

18.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.48 NZ$2.52

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$1.62 NZ$2.76

-47.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.16 NZ$1.98

56.90%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$6.29 NZ$10.72

-49.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$7.06 NZ$12.02

63.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.00 NZ$15.33

6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$12.42 NZ$21.16

-8.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.84 NZ$3.13

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.88 NZ$3.20

-22.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$2.51 NZ$4.27

-54.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$3.41 NZ$5.81

-68.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.44 NZ$2.46

-31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.17 NZ$1.99

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$1.85 NZ$3.15

-56.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.90 NZ$1.54

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$20.45 NZ$34.82

-87.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$11.94 NZ$20.34

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$2.25 NZ$3.83

-44.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.68 NZ$4.57

-17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$2.37 NZ$4.04

-17.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$63.2 NZ$108

12.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$2.47 NZ$4.21

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.85 NZ$3.14

-30.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$41.43 NZ$70.6

-51.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$1.61 NZ$2.74

-44.10%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$24.4K NZ$41.5K

42.82%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$23.2K NZ$39.5K

19.03%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$80.3 NZ$137

170.86%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$32.14 NZ$54.7

16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$48.89 NZ$83.3

-23.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$41.50 NZ$70.7

64.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

$8.87 NZ$15.11

236.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$8.18 NZ$13.92

-0.61%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$407 NZ$693

-26.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,895 NZ$8,336

-10.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$68.9 NZ$117

3.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$29.90 NZ$50.9

49.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$105 NZ$179

14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$114 NZ$195

-16.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$785 NZ$1,337

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$597 NZ$1,017

-38.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$1,238 NZ$2,109

63.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$1,098 NZ$1,870

-13.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

$2,518 NZ$4,289

-74.17%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $785 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 287% 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 $91.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $277 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 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Masterton earns 287% 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: $809 in Beirut versus $785 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $1,511 in Masterton – a 5% 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 $1,437 in Beirut versus $1,511 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 5% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.