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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,248 per month in Christchurch vs $1,485 in Masterton, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,156 per month in Christchurch vs $2,448 in Masterton, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,063 per month in Christchurch vs $3,411 in Masterton, rent included.

Christchurch costs about 51% more than Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Christchurch and Masterton sit above the global median – Christchurch by 68%, Masterton by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.58 NZ$28.35

$9.82 NZ$16.79

68.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 NZ$124

$90.0 NZ$154

-19.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.67 NZ$16.53

$9.28 NZ$15.86

4.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 NZ$6.02

$3.15 NZ$5.38

11.75%

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

$2.34 NZ$4.00

$2.08 NZ$3.55

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NZ$3.50

$1.66 NZ$2.83

22.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 NZ$12.72

$3.71 NZ$6.34

100.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 NZ$12.53

$4.31 NZ$7.38

70.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 NZ$3.23

$1.49 NZ$2.54

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.28

$1.69 NZ$2.88

13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$2.97

$1.16 NZ$1.99

50.00%

Eggs

$6.29 NZ$10.76

$6.00 NZ$10.26

4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 NZ$14.58

$7.33 NZ$12.54

16.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 NZ$16.53

$9.43 NZ$16.12

2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 NZ$22.23

$12.14 NZ$20.76

7.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.13

$1.86 NZ$3.18

61.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 NZ$4.45

$1.86 NZ$3.18

39.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$2.56 NZ$4.38

19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 NZ$9.47

$3.33 NZ$5.70

66.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.66

$1.45 NZ$2.48

47.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 NZ$3.98

$1.18 NZ$2.01

96.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 NZ$5.01

$1.77 NZ$3.03

65.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 NZ$2.48

$0.90 NZ$1.55

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.65 NZ$40.44

$20.04 NZ$34.26

18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 NZ$14.78

$10.74 NZ$18.37

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.82 NZ$6.54

$2.32 NZ$3.97

64.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 NZ$8.56

$2.59 NZ$4.43

93.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.11

$2.36 NZ$4.03

-47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.80 NZ$71.5

$64.0 NZ$109

-34.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 NZ$4.58

$2.37 NZ$4.06

13.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$1.78 NZ$3.04

-3.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 NZ$51.3

$40.81 NZ$69.8

-26.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.68 NZ$2.87

-2.98%

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

$27.5K NZ$47.0K

$24.1K NZ$41.3K

13.74%

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

$19.4K NZ$33.2K

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

-16.84%

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

$116 NZ$198

$79.5 NZ$136

45.76%

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

$32.06 NZ$54.8

$31.57 NZ$54.0

1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 NZ$90.4

$48.75 NZ$83.4

8.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 NZ$60.9

$40.52 NZ$69.3

-12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.41 NZ$26.35

$8.89 NZ$15.21

73.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.85 NZ$18.56

$8.13 NZ$13.89

33.46%

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

$643 NZ$1,100

$397 NZ$678

62.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,224 NZ$15.8K

$4,896 NZ$8,371

88.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 NZ$107

$70.2 NZ$120

-10.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.31 NZ$74.1

$30.07 NZ$51.4

44.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 NZ$156

$104 NZ$178

-12.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 NZ$262

$113 NZ$194

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,514 NZ$2,588

$785 NZ$1,342

92.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 NZ$2,032

$612 NZ$1,046

94.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 NZ$3,528

$1,269 NZ$2,169

62.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 NZ$2,472

$1,072 NZ$1,833

34.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,099 NZ$8,719

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,817 NZ$4,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,707 NZ$4,628

$2,456 NZ$4,200

10.20%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Masterton: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,514 in Christchurch versus $785 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 10% 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 $90.0 in Masterton. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Christchurch vs $276 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 51% 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 $3,372 per month in Christchurch and $2,227 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 53% less in Masterton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $643 per month in Christchurch and $397 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 $1,485, than in Christchurch at $2,248. 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.