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: $1,529 in Masterton versus $1,390 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,449 in Masterton versus $2,293 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,368 in Masterton versus $3,195 in Beirut.

Living in Masterton is roughly 10% more expensive than in Beirut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 14% above, Beirut 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 NZ$17.21

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

-5.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 NZ$158

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

53.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 NZ$15.39

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

14.80%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.53

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

-2.71%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

35.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

90.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 NZ$6.12

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NZ$7.07

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

-16.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

-15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 NZ$2.75

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

103.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

-33.52%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.47

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

97.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 NZ$12.39

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

-34.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 NZ$15.27

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.27

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

8.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

28.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.21

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

115.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.86

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

225.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.40

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

98.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 NZ$1.52

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.72 NZ$35.45

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

722.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 NZ$18.42

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

73.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.68

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

28.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 NZ$4.22

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

24.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 NZ$108

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

-11.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.22

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

-50.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

47.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.59 NZ$71.2

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

107.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

75.27%

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

$24.5K NZ$41.9K

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-29.66%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-18.00%

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

$81.2 NZ$139

$217 LBP 19.4M

-62.58%

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

$32.37 NZ$55.4

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

-13.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.52 NZ$81.3

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

27.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 NZ$70.5

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-39.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 NZ$15.10

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

-70.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 NZ$14.23

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

6.26%

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

$397 NZ$679

$305 LBP 27.3M

30.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 NZ$8,181

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

6.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 NZ$120

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

0.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 NZ$51.6

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

-32.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$121 LBP 10.9M

-14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

19.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,359

$789 LBP 70.6M

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 NZ$1,034

$376 LBP 33.7M

60.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 NZ$2,111

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

-36.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 NZ$1,854

$970 LBP 86.8M

11.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,458 NZ$4,205

$715 LBP 64.0M

243.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.16

-40.05%

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

Last update for Masterton: July 12, 2026

Last update for Beirut: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Masterton and $789 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 244% 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: $92.0 in Masterton vs $60.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $233 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

Beirut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 244% 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: $794 in Masterton versus $789 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,529 per month in Masterton versus $1,390 in Beirut – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Beirut runs roughly 13% less than in Masterton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,529 in Masterton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beirut but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Beirut 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 Beirut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.