Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Beirut Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Beirut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Masterton versus $1,682 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Masterton versus $2,685 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,115 in Masterton versus $3,688 in Beirut.

Living in Masterton costs roughly 47% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 36% below, Beirut is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.16 NZ$17.23

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

-16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 NZ$117

$64.8 LBP 5.8M

6.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 NZ$14.95

$9.83 LBP 879.6K

-10.38%

Cappuccino

$3.45 NZ$5.86

$4.77 LBP 426.8K

-27.67%

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

$2.03 NZ$3.44

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

-14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.02

$0.83 LBP 74.5K

43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 NZ$7.10

$5.10 LBP 456.4K

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 NZ$5.92

$5.02 LBP 449.5K

-30.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 NZ$2.55

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

-23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 NZ$3.96

$0.82 LBP 73.8K

184.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 NZ$1.93

$2.24 LBP 200.8K

-49.11%

Eggs

$6.66 NZ$11.30

$3.60 LBP 321.8K

85.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 NZ$14.55

$13.60 LBP 1.2M

-36.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 NZ$17.38

$10.73 LBP 960.6K

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.21 NZ$27.49

$13.89 LBP 1.2M

16.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.95

$3.15 LBP 281.7K

-26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$1.72 LBP 153.8K

9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.29

$1.64 LBP 146.7K

90.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 NZ$7.91

$1.48 LBP 132.8K

214.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.67

$1.35 LBP 120.9K

16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.97

$1.65 LBP 148.1K

-29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.98

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.86

$0.69 LBP 62.2K

-27.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.69 NZ$35.09

$3.03 LBP 271.1K

582.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 NZ$19.83

$10.18 LBP 911.1K

14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 NZ$1.65

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.07

$2.59 LBP 231.4K

-52.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 NZ$4.06

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 LBP 7.0M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.33

$4.98 LBP 445.6K

-60.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.13

$2.24 LBP 200.1K

-17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.45 NZ$60.1

$22.48 LBP 2.0M

57.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

$1.00 LBP 89.8K

80.00%

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

$23.9K NZ$40.5K

$52.7K LBP 4.7B

-54.63%

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

$26.1K NZ$44.2K

$32.8K LBP 2.9B

-20.56%

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

$60.0 NZ$102

$226 LBP 20.2M

-73.45%

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

$31.49 NZ$53.4

$23.30 LBP 2.1M

35.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 NZ$93.6

$37.27 LBP 3.3M

48.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.85 NZ$76.1

$82.7 LBP 7.4M

-45.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.98 NZ$15.23

$33.94 LBP 3.0M

-73.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 NZ$16.75

$9.99 LBP 894.0K

-1.20%

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

$1,097 NZ$1,860

$675 LBP 60.4M

62.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.3K

$10.6K LBP 945.1M

30.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 NZ$102

$67.9 LBP 6.1M

-11.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.66 NZ$50.3

$50.2 LBP 4.5M

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 NZ$186

$135 LBP 12.1M

-19.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 NZ$251

$121 LBP 10.8M

22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 LBP 84.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 LBP 45.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 NZ$1,835

$2,169 LBP 194.1M

-50.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 LBP 96.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 LBP 357.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 LBP 162.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,478 NZ$4,204

$735 LBP 65.8M

236.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

-51.00%

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

Last update for Masterton: September 1, 2026

Last update for Beirut: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 237% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Masterton vs $65.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $280 per month, with Beirut cheaper across the board.

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 Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 237% higher in Masterton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Beirut pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $883 per month in Masterton versus $1,682 in Beirut – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $883 in Masterton versus $1,682 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Beirut. 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 Beirut 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 90% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.