Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Arecibo Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Arecibo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,485 in Masterton versus $1,485 in Arecibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,448 in Masterton versus $2,232 in Arecibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,411 in Masterton versus $2,979 in Arecibo.

Monthly costs are close between Masterton and Arecibo; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 11% above, Arecibo 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 NZ$16.79

$12.20 $12.20

-19.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 NZ$154

$50.6 $50.6

77.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.86

$7.62 $7.62

21.78%

Cappuccino

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$3.24 $3.24

-2.78%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.55

$1.46 $1.46

42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$1.45 $1.45

14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 NZ$6.34

$2.02 $2.02

83.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 NZ$7.38

$3.98 $3.98

8.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.54

$1.71 $1.71

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 NZ$2.88

$3.30 $3.30

-48.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$2.17 $2.17

-46.54%

Eggs

$6.00 NZ$10.26

$3.86 $3.86

55.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 NZ$12.54

$9.02 $9.02

-18.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 NZ$16.12

$6.55 $6.55

43.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 NZ$20.76

$8.91 $8.91

36.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$5.79 $5.79

-67.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$2.03 $2.03

-8.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.38

$3.98 $3.98

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 NZ$5.70

$4.10 $4.10

-18.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 NZ$2.48

$3.93 $3.93

-63.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.01

$3.03 $3.03

-61.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$2.23 $2.23

-20.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.55

$1.46 $1.46

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.04 NZ$34.26

$7.97 $7.97

151.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 NZ$18.37

$15.39 $15.39

-30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$2.11 $2.11

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 NZ$4.43

$3.18 $3.18

-18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.96 $1.96

20.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.0 NZ$109

$40.34 $40.34

58.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 NZ$4.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.04

$1.49 $1.49

19.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.81 NZ$69.8

$14.70 $14.70

177.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.87

$0.91 $0.91

84.62%

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

$24.1K NZ$41.3K

$36.6K $36.6K

-33.98%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.0K

$24.1K $24.1K

-3.03%

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

$79.5 NZ$136

$179 $179

-55.62%

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

$31.57 NZ$54.0

$79.4 $79.4

-60.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 NZ$83.4

$69.2 $69.2

-29.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 NZ$69.3

$40.04 $40.04

1.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.89 NZ$15.21

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 NZ$13.89

$7.19 $7.19

13.07%

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

$397 NZ$678

$466 $466

-14.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,896 NZ$8,371

$3,950 $3,950

23.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 NZ$120

$45.20 $45.20

55.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.07 NZ$51.4

$14.84 $14.84

102.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$89.3 $89.3

16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$81.7 $81.7

38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,342

$491 $491

60.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 NZ$1,046

$403 $403

51.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 NZ$2,169

$1,058 $1,058

19.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 NZ$1,833

$682 $682

57.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,456 NZ$4,200

$1,211 $1,211

102.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

4.17

60.43%

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

Last update for Masterton: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arecibo: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $491 in Arecibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 103% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $90.0 in Masterton vs $51.0 in Arecibo. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $330, 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

Masterton vs Arecibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton pays 103% 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: $785 in Masterton versus $491 in Arecibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Masterton runs roughly 59% less than in Arecibo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Arecibo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,485 in Masterton versus $1,485 in Arecibo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Arecibo. 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, Masterton and Arecibo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Masterton wins on affordability, Arecibo on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.