Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Dunedin Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Dunedin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,511 in Masterton versus $1,807 in Dunedin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Masterton versus $2,801 in Dunedin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,381 in Masterton versus $3,796 in Dunedin.

Living in Masterton costs roughly 16% less than in Dunedin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 13% above, Dunedin 35% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 NZ$16.63

$12.23 NZ$20.65

-19.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 NZ$153

$73.0 NZ$123

24.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$15.54

$10.87 NZ$18.35

-15.36%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.41

$3.45 NZ$5.82

-7.25%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.59

$2.18 NZ$3.67

-2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$2.00 NZ$3.38

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 NZ$6.29

$7.20 NZ$12.16

-48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NZ$7.20

$5.97 NZ$10.08

-28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.74

$1.92 NZ$3.24

-15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.96

$1.87 NZ$3.16

-37.97%

Eggs

$6.29 NZ$10.63

$5.73 NZ$9.67

9.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 NZ$11.91

$8.07 NZ$13.62

-12.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.19

$10.84 NZ$18.30

-16.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$20.98

$13.17 NZ$22.23

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$2.93 NZ$4.94

-37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$2.25 NZ$3.81

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.24

$3.43 NZ$5.78

-26.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.76

$4.45 NZ$7.51

-23.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.44

$1.98 NZ$3.34

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 NZ$1.97

$2.02 NZ$3.41

-42.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$2.56 NZ$4.33

-27.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.53

$1.08 NZ$1.82

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 NZ$34.52

$23.76 NZ$40.11

-13.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 NZ$20.16

$9.41 NZ$15.88

26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$2.55 NZ$4.31

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NZ$4.53

$3.66 NZ$6.19

-26.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 NZ$4.01

$1.23 NZ$2.08

92.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$107

$73.6 NZ$124

-14.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.17

$6.14 NZ$10.36

-59.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.12

$1.15 NZ$1.94

60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 NZ$70.0

$29.78 NZ$50.3

39.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.72

$1.66 NZ$2.81

-3.01%

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

$24.4K NZ$41.2K

$20.0K NZ$33.7K

22.02%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

$25.4K NZ$42.9K

-8.69%

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

$80.3 NZ$136

$102 NZ$173

-21.43%

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

$32.14 NZ$54.3

$35.87 NZ$60.6

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.89 NZ$82.5

$54.3 NZ$91.7

-10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 NZ$70.1

$52.2 NZ$88.1

-20.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 NZ$14.98

$6.13 NZ$10.36

44.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 NZ$13.80

$9.67 NZ$16.32

-15.41%

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

$407 NZ$687

$575 NZ$971

-29.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 NZ$8,264

$11.9K NZ$20.1K

-58.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NZ$116

$67.2 NZ$114

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 NZ$50.5

$35.51 NZ$60.0

-15.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$177

$94.2 NZ$159

11.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$193

$121 NZ$205

-5.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$884 NZ$1,493

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 NZ$1,008

$757 NZ$1,278

-21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 NZ$2,090

$1,481 NZ$2,501

-16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 NZ$1,854

$1,332 NZ$2,250

-17.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,023 NZ$5,104

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,045 NZ$3,452

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,518 NZ$4,252

$2,611 NZ$4,409

-3.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

7.07

-5.37%

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

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dunedin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $884 in Dunedin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dunedin pays 4% 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: $91.0 in Masterton vs $73.0 in Dunedin. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $324, 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 Dunedin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton and Dunedin differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,511 vs $1,807 including rent). Masterton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dunedin earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $785 in Masterton versus $884 in Dunedin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Masterton runs roughly 16% less than in Dunedin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $407 in Masterton versus $575 in Dunedin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,511 in Masterton versus $1,807 in Dunedin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Dunedin. 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 Dunedin 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 20% less than in Dunedin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.