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: $1,510 in Masterton versus $1,454 in Arecibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,430 in Masterton versus $2,164 in Arecibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,350 in Masterton versus $2,875 in Arecibo.

Living in Masterton is roughly 4% more expensive than in Arecibo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 13% above, Arecibo 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.01 NZ$17.26

$12.04 $12.04

-16.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.1 NZ$154

$50.3 $50.3

77.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 NZ$15.20

$7.41 $7.41

19.03%

Cappuccino

$3.25 NZ$5.60

$3.29 $3.29

-1.22%

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

$2.07 NZ$3.56

$1.46 $1.46

41.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 NZ$2.70

$1.38 $1.38

13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 NZ$6.20

$2.02 $2.02

78.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 NZ$7.06

$3.89 $3.89

5.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 NZ$2.57

$1.71 $1.71

-12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.79

$3.34 $3.34

-51.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 NZ$2.01

$2.07 $2.07

-43.48%

Eggs

$6.31 NZ$10.88

$3.75 $3.75

68.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 NZ$12.53

$8.71 $8.71

-16.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 NZ$15.87

$6.57 $6.57

40.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 NZ$21.71

$8.86 $8.86

42.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.07

$5.98 $5.98

-70.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.21

$2.00 $2.00

-7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 NZ$4.42

$3.98 $3.98

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.90

$4.15 $4.15

-17.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.47

$3.99 $3.99

-63.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.08

$3.07 $3.07

-60.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 NZ$3.18

$2.27 $2.27

-18.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 NZ$1.57

$1.41 $1.41

-35.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.66 NZ$35.60

$8.18 $8.18

152.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.99 NZ$18.93

$15.63 $15.63

-29.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 NZ$4.01

$2.07 $2.07

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.52

$3.12 $3.12

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 NZ$4.22

$1.98 $1.98

23.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 NZ$112

$40.40 $40.40

61.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 NZ$3.06

$1.51 $1.51

17.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.16 NZ$70.9

$14.88 $14.88

176.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.81

$0.92 $0.92

77.17%

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

$24.1K NZ$41.5K

$36.7K $36.7K

-34.44%

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

$22.8K NZ$39.2K

$24.2K $24.2K

-6.08%

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

$80.0 NZ$138

$185 $185

-56.68%

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

$32.22 NZ$55.5

$79.5 $79.5

-59.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.35 NZ$81.6

$69.4 $69.4

-31.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.93 NZ$68.8

$39.48 $39.48

1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.97 NZ$15.45

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 NZ$14.20

$7.16 $7.16

15.08%

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

$397 NZ$684

$477 $477

-16.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,899 NZ$8,442

$4,060 $4,060

20.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 NZ$121

$45.76 $45.76

53.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.77 NZ$51.3

$15.29 $15.29

94.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 NZ$178

$89.6 $89.6

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$199

$81.7 $81.7

41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 NZ$1,367

$505 $505

56.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 NZ$1,028

$401 $401

48.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 NZ$2,143

$1,057 $1,057

17.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 NZ$1,895

$671 $671

63.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,400 NZ$4,135

$1,219 $1,219

96.81%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Arecibo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $793 in Masterton and $505 in Arecibo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 97% 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: $89.0 in Masterton vs $50.0 in Arecibo. Groceries flip the comparison at $278 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

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 97% higher in Masterton, 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: $793 in Masterton versus $505 in Arecibo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Masterton pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $89.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,454 in Arecibo versus $1,510 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo 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.

Expats usually find Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.