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: $1,872 in Dunedin versus $867 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,733 in Dunedin versus $1,478 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,595 in Dunedin versus $2,089 in Masterton.

Living in Dunedin is roughly 116% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dunedin is 37% above, Masterton is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 NZ$25.04

$9.94 NZ$17.38

44.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$110

$66.8 NZ$117

-5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.37 NZ$19.88

$8.59 NZ$15.01

32.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 NZ$6.12

$3.30 NZ$5.77

6.06%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$2.07 NZ$3.62

6.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.18 NZ$2.06

78.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 NZ$12.42

$3.94 NZ$6.89

80.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.26 NZ$10.95

$3.53 NZ$6.18

77.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.48 NZ$2.59

43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 NZ$3.60

$2.25 NZ$3.93

-8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 NZ$3.05

$1.07 NZ$1.87

62.62%

Eggs

$5.83 NZ$10.19

$6.32 NZ$11.04

-7.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 NZ$15.33

$8.78 NZ$15.36

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$17.13

$10.24 NZ$17.90

-4.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 NZ$29.13

$15.78 NZ$27.59

5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.14

$2.36 NZ$4.12

24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.24

$1.79 NZ$3.12

35.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.64

$3.16 NZ$5.53

2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.06

$4.70 NZ$8.21

10.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$1.55 NZ$2.71

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.20

$1.16 NZ$2.02

57.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 NZ$4.24

$1.78 NZ$3.11

35.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 NZ$1.00

$0.50 NZ$0.87

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.71 NZ$37.96

$19.84 NZ$34.69

9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.25 NZ$16.18

$11.37 NZ$19.87

-18.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.55

$0.90 NZ$1.57

253.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.15

$1.19 NZ$2.08

3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 NZ$1.97

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-52.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 NZ$123

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 NZ$10.11

$1.87 NZ$3.26

209.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.15 NZ$51.0

$34.33 NZ$60.0

-15.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.02

$1.74 NZ$3.04

-0.57%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.5K

$23.4K NZ$41.0K

11.12%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

1.01%

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

$113 NZ$197

$57.7 NZ$101

95.53%

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

$28.94 NZ$50.6

$31.00 NZ$54.2

-6.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$92.4

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 NZ$86.8

$43.22 NZ$75.6

14.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.33 NZ$14.56

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 NZ$18.40

$9.70 NZ$16.96

8.45%

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

$610 NZ$1,066

$1,069 NZ$1,869

-42.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 NZ$106

$57.0 NZ$99.6

6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 NZ$63.3

$28.98 NZ$50.7

24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 NZ$166

$104 NZ$183

-9.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$246

$142 NZ$248

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 NZ$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 NZ$1,328

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$1,032 NZ$1,804

46.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 NZ$2,091

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,242 NZ$3,919

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 NZ$4,521

$2,429 NZ$4,247

6.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.39

31.17%

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

Last update for Dunedin: September 12, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dunedin pays 6% 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: $63.0 in Dunedin vs $67.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $300, 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 116% in total monthly costs ($1,872 vs $867 including rent). Masterton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Dunedin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Dunedin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,872 per month in Dunedin versus $867 in Masterton – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,872 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 116% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.