Cost of Living Comparison Between Christchurch and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Christchurch and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,230 per month in Christchurch vs $1,518 in Masterton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,092 per month in Christchurch vs $2,429 in Masterton, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,953 per month in Christchurch vs $3,341 in Masterton, rent included.

Christchurch costs about 47% more than Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Christchurch and Masterton sit above the global median – Christchurch by 67%, Masterton by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.11 NZ$29.33

$9.88 NZ$16.94

73.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 NZ$124

$89.5 NZ$153

-19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 NZ$16.08

$9.28 NZ$15.91

1.08%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$3.30 NZ$5.65

5.45%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.08

$2.15 NZ$3.68

10.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.42

$1.60 NZ$2.74

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 NZ$12.31

$3.64 NZ$6.24

97.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.39 NZ$12.67

$4.12 NZ$7.06

79.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.13

$1.53 NZ$2.63

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 NZ$3.31

$1.63 NZ$2.79

18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.02

$1.17 NZ$2.00

50.43%

Eggs

$6.25 NZ$10.72

$6.26 NZ$10.73

-0.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 NZ$13.86

$7.24 NZ$12.42

11.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 NZ$16.05

$9.13 NZ$15.65

2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 NZ$22.02

$12.34 NZ$21.15

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 NZ$5.28

$1.84 NZ$3.15

67.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 NZ$4.55

$1.88 NZ$3.22

40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.29

$2.46 NZ$4.22

25.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.82 NZ$9.99

$3.45 NZ$5.92

68.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.52

$1.39 NZ$2.38

48.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.77

$1.22 NZ$2.09

80.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 NZ$5.03

$1.78 NZ$3.06

64.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NZ$2.49

$0.91 NZ$1.56

59.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.19 NZ$41.47

$20.11 NZ$34.47

20.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 NZ$14.85

$11.86 NZ$20.34

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 NZ$6.46

$2.34 NZ$4.02

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 NZ$8.56

$2.61 NZ$4.47

91.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 NZ$2.04

$2.48 NZ$4.25

-52.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.37 NZ$70.9

$63.1 NZ$108

-34.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.73

$2.37 NZ$4.06

16.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 NZ$2.85

$1.77 NZ$3.03

-6.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 NZ$51.9

$40.57 NZ$69.6

-25.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.92

$1.69 NZ$2.89

0.59%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.5K

$24.5K NZ$42.0K

10.71%

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

$19.9K NZ$34.1K

$23.6K NZ$40.5K

-15.76%

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

$118 NZ$202

$80.7 NZ$138

45.92%

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

$31.50 NZ$54.0

$32.16 NZ$55.1

-2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.3 NZ$91.5

$47.41 NZ$81.3

12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.44 NZ$59.1

$40.82 NZ$70.0

-15.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 NZ$26.61

$8.83 NZ$15.15

75.76%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 NZ$18.51

$8.34 NZ$14.30

29.38%

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

$632 NZ$1,083

$398 NZ$682

58.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,472 NZ$16.2K

$4,780 NZ$8,196

98.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 NZ$107

$68.8 NZ$118

-9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 NZ$74.4

$29.98 NZ$51.4

44.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 NZ$156

$104 NZ$178

-12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 NZ$266

$113 NZ$193

37.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,483 NZ$2,542

$797 NZ$1,366

86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 NZ$2,019

$609 NZ$1,045

93.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 NZ$3,604

$1,262 NZ$2,164

66.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 NZ$2,483

$1,078 NZ$1,849

34.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,899 NZ$8,400

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 NZ$4,541

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,658 NZ$4,558

$2,491 NZ$4,271

6.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.69

0.75%

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

Last update for Christchurch: June 13, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,483 in Christchurch versus $797 in Masterton. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Christchurch, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72.0 in Christchurch versus $89.0 in Masterton. Groceries tell a different story – $338 in Christchurch vs $279 in Masterton – so Masterton wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Christchurch vs Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Christchurch costs about 47% more than Masterton, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,345 per month in Christchurch and $2,276 in Masterton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masterton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Masterton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $632 per month in Christchurch and $398 in Masterton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masterton, where all-in costs run around $1,518, than in Christchurch at $2,230. In Masterton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Christchurch it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masterton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Masterton. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Christchurch makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.