Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,807 in Dunedin versus $1,511 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Dunedin versus $2,446 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,796 in Dunedin versus $3,381 in Masterton.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 20% more expensive than Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Masterton 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$9.85 NZ$16.63

24.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$123

$90.9 NZ$153

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.35

$9.20 NZ$15.54

18.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.82

$3.20 NZ$5.41

7.81%

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

$2.18 NZ$3.67

$2.13 NZ$3.59

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.38

$1.65 NZ$2.78

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 NZ$12.16

$3.72 NZ$6.29

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 NZ$10.08

$4.27 NZ$7.20

39.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.48 NZ$2.50

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 NZ$3.24

$1.62 NZ$2.74

18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$1.16 NZ$1.96

61.21%

Eggs

$5.73 NZ$9.67

$6.29 NZ$10.63

-8.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.62

$7.06 NZ$11.91

14.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 NZ$18.30

$9.00 NZ$15.19

20.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.17 NZ$22.23

$12.42 NZ$20.98

6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$4.94

$1.84 NZ$3.11

59.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.81

$1.88 NZ$3.18

19.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.43 NZ$5.78

$2.51 NZ$4.24

36.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 NZ$7.51

$3.41 NZ$5.76

30.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 NZ$3.34

$1.44 NZ$2.44

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 NZ$3.41

$1.17 NZ$1.97

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 NZ$4.33

$1.85 NZ$3.13

38.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 NZ$1.82

$0.90 NZ$1.53

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.76 NZ$40.11

$20.45 NZ$34.52

16.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.41 NZ$15.88

$11.94 NZ$20.16

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 NZ$4.31

$2.25 NZ$3.80

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NZ$6.19

$2.68 NZ$4.53

36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 NZ$2.08

$2.37 NZ$4.01

-48.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 NZ$124

$63.2 NZ$107

16.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 NZ$10.36

$2.47 NZ$4.17

148.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 NZ$1.94

$1.85 NZ$3.12

-37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.78 NZ$50.3

$41.43 NZ$70.0

-28.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.81

$1.61 NZ$2.72

3.11%

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

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

$24.4K NZ$41.2K

-18.05%

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

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

9.52%

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

$102 NZ$173

$80.3 NZ$136

27.27%

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

$35.87 NZ$60.6

$32.14 NZ$54.3

11.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 NZ$91.7

$48.89 NZ$82.5

11.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 NZ$88.1

$41.50 NZ$70.1

25.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.36

$8.87 NZ$14.98

-30.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.67 NZ$16.32

$8.18 NZ$13.80

18.22%

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

$575 NZ$971

$407 NZ$687

41.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

$4,895 NZ$8,264

143.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 NZ$114

$68.9 NZ$116

-2.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.51 NZ$60.0

$29.90 NZ$50.5

18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 NZ$159

$105 NZ$177

-10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$205

$114 NZ$193

6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 NZ$1,493

$785 NZ$1,326

12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 NZ$1,278

$597 NZ$1,008

26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,501

$1,238 NZ$2,090

19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 NZ$2,250

$1,098 NZ$1,854

21.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,611 NZ$4,409

$2,518 NZ$4,252

3.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

6.69

5.68%

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

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Dunedin and $785 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 4% 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: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $91.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $277, with Masterton cheaper for home cooking.

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

Dunedin vs Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Masterton differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,807 vs $1,511 including rent). Masterton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dunedin pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $884 in Dunedin versus $785 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Masterton runs roughly 16% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $407 in Masterton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,511 in Masterton versus $1,807 in Dunedin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. 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, Dunedin 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 20% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.