Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Christchurch

For one person, living is cheaper in Masterton: $841 a month against $2,041 in Christchurch, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Masterton
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Masterton Living Index
99

Cost of Living Index in Christchurch
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Christchurch Living Index

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Masterton

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$841

/mo nomad

Christchurch

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$2,041

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Masterton and in Christchurch

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 Christchurch actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $841 per month in Masterton vs $2,041 in Christchurch, rent included.

Masterton $841
Christchurch $2,041

A couple spends around $1,446 per month in Masterton vs $2,953 in Christchurch, rent included.

Masterton $1,446
Christchurch $2,953

A family of three spends $2,051 per month in Masterton vs $3,866 in Christchurch, rent included.

Masterton $2,051
Christchurch $3,866

Masterton is about 59% cheaper than Christchurch, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Masterton sits 38% below the global median, while Christchurch is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.26 NZ$16.44

$14.17 NZ$25.16

-34.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 NZ$115

$68.6 NZ$122

-5.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 NZ$15.58

$8.94 NZ$15.87

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.95

$3.24 NZ$5.75

3.40%

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

$1.95 NZ$3.46

$2.26 NZ$4.01

-13.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.97

$1.84 NZ$3.27

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.96 NZ$7.04

$6.77 NZ$12.02

-41.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 NZ$6.04

$6.63 NZ$11.77

-48.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 NZ$2.59

$1.68 NZ$2.98

-13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 NZ$3.77

$1.89 NZ$3.35

12.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 NZ$1.95

$1.48 NZ$2.63

-25.68%

Eggs

$6.49 NZ$11.51

$5.86 NZ$10.41

10.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 NZ$15.25

$7.53 NZ$13.38

14.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 NZ$17.65

$9.28 NZ$16.48

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.03 NZ$26.69

$13.78 NZ$24.47

9.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 NZ$3.93

$2.62 NZ$4.65

-15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.21

$2.36 NZ$4.18

-23.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.40

$2.65 NZ$4.71

14.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 NZ$7.95

$3.91 NZ$6.94

14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 NZ$2.69

$1.50 NZ$2.66

0.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 NZ$1.94

$1.44 NZ$2.55

-24.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 NZ$3.04

$2.28 NZ$4.05

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.93

$1.28 NZ$2.28

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.90 NZ$35.33

$24.00 NZ$42.61

-17.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 NZ$20.39

$8.74 NZ$15.52

31.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 NZ$1.56

$3.51 NZ$6.23

-74.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.17

$4.49 NZ$7.98

-72.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 NZ$3.97

$1.72 NZ$3.05

29.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$181

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 NZ$3.36

$2.51 NZ$4.46

-24.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.20

$1.75 NZ$3.11

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.98 NZ$60.3

$28.85 NZ$51.2

17.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$3.08

$1.86 NZ$3.30

-6.99%

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

$22.9K NZ$40.6K

$28.6K NZ$50.7K

-20.01%

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

$23.9K NZ$42.4K

$23.1K NZ$41.1K

3.19%

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

$56.0 NZ$99.5

$161 NZ$286

-65.25%

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

$29.91 NZ$53.1

$23.03 NZ$40.89

29.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 NZ$94.8

$46.74 NZ$83.0

14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 NZ$75.2

$23.98 NZ$42.58

76.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.22 NZ$14.59

$9.43 NZ$16.74

-12.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.47 NZ$16.81

$11.67 NZ$20.73

-18.85%

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

$1,038 NZ$1,844

$678 NZ$1,203

53.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$23.6K

$22.4K NZ$39.8K

-40.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 NZ$101

$59.9 NZ$106

-5.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.47 NZ$50.6

$40.61 NZ$72.1

-29.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$186

$99.2 NZ$176

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$250

$124 NZ$220

13.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 NZ$2,151

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 NZ$1,678

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 NZ$1,809

$1,544 NZ$2,741

-34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 NZ$2,487

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,164 NZ$9,167

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,735 NZ$4,857

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,339 NZ$4,152

$2,664 NZ$4,729

-12.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.91

-8.80%

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

Last update for Masterton: October 25, 2026

Last update for Christchurch: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Masterton

$293 34.8%

Christchurch

$309 15.1% 5.4% $16

Eating Out

Masterton

$179 21.3%

Christchurch

$243 11.9% 35.2% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Masterton

$149 17.7%

Christchurch

$146 7.1% 2.1% $3.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Masterton

$139 16.6%

Christchurch

$231 11.3% 65.8% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Masterton

$61 7.3%

Christchurch

$47 2.3% 22.8% $14

Getting Around

Masterton

$20 * 2.4%

Christchurch

$120 5.9% 505% $100

Accommodation & Living

Masterton

- * 0%

Christchurch

$945 46.3%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% higher in Christchurch, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Masterton versus $69 in Christchurch. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $309 – making Masterton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Masterton

🇳🇿 Christchurch

🕒 Local time

02:08 2:08 AM

Same time as Masterton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,800

380,600

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

1 NZD = 0.563 USD

1 NZD = 0.504 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Masterton Christchurch 380 km

From you

Masterton
Christchurch

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 Christchurch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Christchurch costs about 142% more than Masterton, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,262 per month in Masterton and $3,061 in Christchurch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $841 in Masterton and $2,041 in Christchurch. That makes Masterton about 59% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,038 per month in Masterton and $678 in Christchurch. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Masterton, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Christchurch at $2,041. In Masterton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Christchurch it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Christchurch has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $841 in Masterton to $2,041 in Christchurch. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Masterton. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Christchurch makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.