Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Barcelona

For one person, living is cheaper in Masterton: $841 a month against $2,453 in Barcelona, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Masterton, New Zealand
Barcelona, Spain
Masterton
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$841
/mo nomad
Barcelona
🇪🇸 Spain
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Masterton and in Barcelona

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Masterton and in Barcelona actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $841 in Masterton versus $2,453 in Barcelona.

  • Masterton $841
  • Barcelona $2,453

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Masterton versus $3,509 in Barcelona.

  • Masterton $1,446
  • Barcelona $3,509

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,051 in Masterton versus $4,564 in Barcelona.

  • Masterton $2,051
  • Barcelona $4,564

Living in Masterton costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 38% below, Barcelona is 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.26 NZ$16.44
$17.59 €15.75
-47.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.0 NZ$115
$67.5 €60.5
-3.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.77 NZ$15.58
$13.53 €12.12
-35.18%
Cappuccino
$3.35 NZ$5.95
$3.19 €2.86
5.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 NZ$3.46
$2.91 €2.61
-32.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 NZ$1.97
$1.89 €1.70
-41.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.96 NZ$7.04
$4.01 €3.59
-1.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 NZ$6.04
$4.53 €4.06
-24.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 NZ$2.59
$1.31 €1.17
11.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.13 NZ$3.77
$2.02 €1.81
5.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 NZ$1.95
$1.85 €1.66
-40.54%
Eggs
$6.49 NZ$11.51
$4.83 €4.33
34.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.59 NZ$15.25
$16.74 €14.99
-48.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.94 NZ$17.65
$9.12 €8.17
8.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.03 NZ$26.69
$19.64 €17.59
-23.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.22 NZ$3.93
$2.98 €2.67
-25.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 NZ$3.21
$2.02 €1.81
-10.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.04 NZ$5.40
$2.70 €2.42
12.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.48 NZ$7.95
$2.80 €2.51
60.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 NZ$2.69
$2.09 €1.87
-27.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 NZ$1.94
$2.07 €1.85
-47.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 NZ$3.04
$1.46 €1.31
17.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 NZ$0.93
$0.94 €0.84
-44.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.90 NZ$35.33
$6.87 €6.15
189.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.48 NZ$20.39
$7.89 €7.06
45.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 NZ$1.56
$1.41 €1.26
-37.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 NZ$2.17
$2.54 €2.27
-51.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 NZ$3.97
$3.14 €2.82
-28.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$25.45 €22.79
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.89 NZ$3.36
$2.99 €2.68
-36.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 NZ$3.20
$1.49 €1.34
20.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.98 NZ$60.3
$33.37 €29.89
1.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.73 NZ$3.08
$1.80 €1.61
-3.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.9K NZ$40.6K
$33.2K €29.7K
-31.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K NZ$42.4K
$31.7K €28.4K
-24.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.0 NZ$99.5
$180 €162
-68.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.91 NZ$53.1
$13.84 €12.39
116.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.4 NZ$94.8
$33.70 €30.18
58.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.36 NZ$75.2
$51.5 €46.13
-17.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.22 NZ$14.59
$15.96 €14.29
-48.50%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47 NZ$16.81
$10.99 €9.85
-13.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,038 NZ$1,844
$917 €821
13.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K NZ$23.6K
$16.5K €14.8K
-19.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7 NZ$101
$87.0 €77.9
-34.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.47 NZ$50.6
$38.51 €34.49
-26.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 NZ$186
$106 €94.8
-1.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$141 NZ$250
$120 €107
17.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,699 €1,522
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,355 €1,214
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,019 NZ$1,809
$2,603 €2,331
-60.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,062 €1,847
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$6,915 €6,193
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,128 €4,592
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Masterton
Barcelona
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,339 NZ$4,152
$2,211 €1,980
5.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.39
3.28
64.33%

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

Last update for Masterton: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Masterton
$293
Barcelona
$322 9.9% $29
Eating Out
Masterton
$179
Barcelona
$268 49.3% $88
Clothing & Footwear
Masterton
$149
Barcelona
$158 6.2% $9.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Masterton
$139
Barcelona
$228 63.6% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Masterton
$61
Barcelona
$74 19.9% $12
Getting Around
Masterton
$20 *
Barcelona
$48 144% $29
Accommodation & Living
Masterton
- *
Barcelona
$1.4K

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65 in Masterton vs $67 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $322 per month, with Masterton cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇳🇿 Masterton
🇪🇸 Barcelona
🕒 Local time
09:18 9:18 AM
21:18 9:18 PM
12 h behind Masterton
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,800
1,660,122
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.563 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Masterton Barcelona 19,470 km ≈ 25 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Masterton
  • Barcelona

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Masterton and in Barcelona?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $841 in Masterton and $2,453 in Barcelona, so Masterton is about 66% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Masterton or Barcelona?
Average pay runs 6% higher in Masterton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Masterton and Barcelona?
Childcare runs $1,038 in Masterton versus $917 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Masterton – a meal for two runs $65 versus $67 in Barcelona. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $841 in Masterton versus $2,453 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Masterton and Barcelona?
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.
Is Masterton or Barcelona safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Masterton and Barcelona are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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