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: $1,682 in Beirut versus $883 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,685 in Beirut versus $1,499 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,688 in Beirut versus $2,115 in Masterton.

Living in Beirut is roughly 90% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 22% above, Masterton is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

$10.16 NZ$17.23

19.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 LBP 5.8M

$68.8 NZ$117

-5.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 LBP 879.6K

$8.81 NZ$14.95

11.58%

Cappuccino

$4.77 LBP 426.8K

$3.45 NZ$5.86

38.26%

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

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

$2.03 NZ$3.44

17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

$1.19 NZ$2.02

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 LBP 456.4K

$4.19 NZ$7.10

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 LBP 449.5K

$3.49 NZ$5.92

43.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

$1.50 NZ$2.55

31.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

$2.33 NZ$3.96

-64.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 LBP 200.8K

$1.14 NZ$1.93

96.49%

Eggs

$3.60 LBP 321.8K

$6.66 NZ$11.30

-45.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 LBP 1.2M

$8.58 NZ$14.55

58.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 LBP 960.6K

$10.25 NZ$17.38

4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 LBP 1.2M

$16.21 NZ$27.49

-14.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 LBP 281.7K

$2.33 NZ$3.95

35.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 153.8K

$1.88 NZ$3.18

-8.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 146.7K

$3.12 NZ$5.29

-47.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 LBP 132.8K

$4.66 NZ$7.91

-68.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 LBP 120.9K

$1.57 NZ$2.67

-14.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 LBP 148.1K

$1.16 NZ$1.97

42.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

$1.76 NZ$2.98

-34.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 62.2K

$0.50 NZ$0.86

38.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.1K

$20.69 NZ$35.09

-85.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.1K

$11.69 NZ$19.83

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$0.97 NZ$1.65

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 LBP 231.4K

$1.22 NZ$2.07

112.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

$2.40 NZ$4.06

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 LBP 7.0M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 LBP 445.6K

$1.96 NZ$3.33

154.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 LBP 200.1K

$1.84 NZ$3.13

21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

$35.45 NZ$60.1

-36.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.8K

$1.80 NZ$3.05

-44.44%

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

$52.7K LBP 4.7B

$23.9K NZ$40.5K

120.39%

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

$32.8K LBP 2.9B

$26.1K NZ$44.2K

25.88%

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

$226 LBP 20.2M

$60.0 NZ$102

276.60%

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

$23.30 LBP 2.1M

$31.49 NZ$53.4

-26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.27 LBP 3.3M

$55.2 NZ$93.6

-32.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 LBP 7.4M

$44.85 NZ$76.1

84.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.94 LBP 3.0M

$8.98 NZ$15.23

277.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 LBP 894.0K

$9.87 NZ$16.75

1.22%

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

$675 LBP 60.4M

$1,097 NZ$1,860

-38.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K LBP 945.1M

$13.8K NZ$23.3K

-23.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 LBP 6.1M

$60.3 NZ$102

12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

$29.66 NZ$50.3

69.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 LBP 12.1M

$109 NZ$186

23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$148 NZ$251

-18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 LBP 84.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 LBP 45.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 LBP 194.1M

$1,082 NZ$1,835

100.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 LBP 96.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 LBP 357.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 LBP 162.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 LBP 65.8M

$2,478 NZ$4,204

-70.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

104.08%

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

Last update for Beirut: August 30, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 237% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Beirut vs $69.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $305 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

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 237% 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.

Shoppers in Beirut pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Beirut versus $883 in Masterton – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $883 in Masterton versus $1,682 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Beirut. 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, 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 Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.