Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Melbourne

For one person, living is cheaper in Masterton: $832 a month against $2,821 in Melbourne, rent and utilities included – about $23,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Masterton
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Masterton Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne
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Melbourne Living Index

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Masterton

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$832

/mo nomad

Melbourne

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,821

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Masterton and in Melbourne

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $832 in Masterton versus $2,821 in Melbourne.

Masterton $832
Melbourne $2,821

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,432 in Masterton versus $4,235 in Melbourne.

Masterton $1,432
Melbourne $4,235

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,032 in Masterton versus $5,650 in Melbourne.

Masterton $2,032
Melbourne $5,650

Living in Masterton costs roughly 71% less than in Melbourne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 38% below, Melbourne is 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.54 NZ$16.88

$17.43 A$25.08

-45.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 NZ$115

$84.6 A$122

-23.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 NZ$15.14

$12.46 A$17.92

-31.30%

Cappuccino

$3.18 NZ$5.62

$4.11 A$5.91

-22.63%

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

$2.02 NZ$3.57

$3.06 A$4.40

-33.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$2.52 A$3.62

-56.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 NZ$6.88

$9.80 A$14.10

-60.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.79

$8.57 A$12.33

-61.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 NZ$2.51

$1.48 A$2.14

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.91

$2.94 A$4.23

-24.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 NZ$1.82

$2.66 A$3.82

-61.28%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$11.17

$5.54 A$7.97

14.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.65

$10.51 A$15.13

-21.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.76

$9.65 A$13.89

-1.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 NZ$26.85

$15.22 A$21.91

-0.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.85

$3.99 A$5.75

-45.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$3.02

$3.02 A$4.34

-43.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.27

$3.10 A$4.46

-3.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 NZ$8.11

$4.82 A$6.93

-4.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.71

$3.03 A$4.36

-49.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 NZ$1.90

$2.44 A$3.52

-55.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NZ$3.00

$2.46 A$3.54

-30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.92

$1.63 A$2.34

-68.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.51 NZ$34.50

$44.07 A$63.4

-55.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 NZ$19.83

$12.70 A$18.28

-11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 NZ$1.50

$5.54 A$7.97

-84.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 NZ$2.02

$5.23 A$7.52

-78.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 NZ$3.94

$3.74 A$5.38

-40.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 A$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 NZ$3.20

$4.51 A$6.50

-59.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NZ$3.09

$1.36 A$1.96

28.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.16 NZ$60.4

$30.45 A$43.81

12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.12

$1.47 A$2.12

20.41%

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

$22.0K NZ$39.0K

$29.0K A$41.7K

-23.99%

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

$24.8K NZ$43.9K

$26.5K A$38.1K

-6.22%

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

$55.0 NZ$97.3

$234 A$336

-76.45%

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

$29.34 NZ$51.9

$27.93 A$40.19

5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$93.3

$55.7 A$80.2

-5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 NZ$73.9

$49.40 A$71.1

-15.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.51 NZ$15.06

$21.48 A$30.91

-60.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 NZ$17.12

$15.09 A$21.72

-35.85%

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

$1,056 NZ$1,868

$2,371 A$3,412

-55.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K NZ$22.5K

$30.2K A$43.5K

-57.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 NZ$98.3

$80.0 A$115

-30.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 NZ$48.79

$50.7 A$73.0

-45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$181

$121 A$174

-15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$251

$130 A$188

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 A$2,531

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 A$2,000

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 NZ$1,773

$3,494 A$5,027

-71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 A$3,588

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,926 A$9,967

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,445 A$9,274

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,327 NZ$4,115

$4,383 A$6,307

-46.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.9

-8.64%

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

Last update for Masterton: October 13, 2026

Last update for Melbourne: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Masterton

$288 34.7%

Melbourne

$384 13.6% 33.2% $96

Eating Out

Masterton

$179 21.5%

Melbourne

$315 11.2% 76.1% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Masterton

$147 17.7%

Melbourne

$172 6.1% 16.5% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Masterton

$137 16.5%

Melbourne

$317 11.3% 131% $180

Sport & Entertainment

Masterton

$61 7.4%

Melbourne

$80 2.8% 30.2% $18

Getting Around

Masterton

$19 * 2.3%

Melbourne

$164 5.8% 742% $144

Accommodation & Living

Masterton

- * 0%

Melbourne

$1.4K 49.3%

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

Cost Breakdown

Melbourne pays 88% 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: $65.0 in Masterton vs $85.0 in Melbourne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $384 per month, with Masterton cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Masterton

🇦🇺 Melbourne

🕒 Local time

06:54 6:54 AM

04:54 4:54 AM

2 h behind Masterton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,800

5,031,195

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Masterton Melbourne 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Masterton
Melbourne

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 Melbourne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 239% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Melbourne. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Melbourne. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $832 per month in Masterton versus $2,821 in Melbourne – a 239% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $832 in Masterton versus $2,821 in Melbourne, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. 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 Melbourne 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 239% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.