Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,529 in Masterton versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,449 in Masterton versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,368 in Masterton versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Masterton is roughly 5% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 14% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 NZ$17.21

$13.07 MX$229

-23.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 NZ$158

$53.8 MX$940

71.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 NZ$15.39

$9.68 MX$169

-7.02%

Cappuccino

$3.23 NZ$5.53

$3.74 MX$65.4

-13.64%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.64

$1.62 MX$28.25

31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.84

$1.16 MX$20.31

43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 NZ$6.12

$3.23 MX$56.4

10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 NZ$7.07

$4.74 MX$82.9

-12.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 NZ$2.56

$1.65 MX$28.80

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 NZ$2.75

$2.75 MX$48.15

-41.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$1.87 MX$32.77

-35.29%

Eggs

$6.12 NZ$10.47

$2.50 MX$43.72

144.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 NZ$12.39

$10.20 MX$178

-29.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 NZ$15.27

$8.25 MX$144

8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 NZ$21.27

$11.82 MX$207

5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.01

$3.01 MX$52.6

-41.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.81 MX$31.67

2.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 NZ$4.21

$2.00 MX$34.96

23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 NZ$5.86

$2.00 MX$34.89

71.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 NZ$2.40

$2.08 MX$36.45

-32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 NZ$2.07

$2.27 MX$39.72

-46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 NZ$3.03

$1.46 MX$25.47

21.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 NZ$1.52

$1.08 MX$18.82

-17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.72 NZ$35.45

$4.35 MX$76.0

376.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 NZ$18.42

$16.99 MX$297

-36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.73 MX$30.31

30.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 NZ$4.68

$3.58 MX$62.5

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 NZ$4.22

$0.39 MX$6.77

530.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 NZ$108

$18.69 MX$327

236.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.22

$1.33 MX$23.18

85.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.18

$0.28 MX$4.89

564.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.59 NZ$71.2

$5.25 MX$91.8

692.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 NZ$2.79

$1.34 MX$23.37

21.64%

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

$24.5K NZ$41.9K

$19.4K MX$339.4K

26.31%

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

$22.9K NZ$39.2K

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-3.74%

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

$81.2 NZ$139

$40.69 MX$712

99.43%

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

$32.37 NZ$55.4

$26.87 MX$470

20.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.52 NZ$81.3

$30.51 MX$534

55.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 NZ$70.5

$52.8 MX$923

-21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 NZ$15.10

$26.65 MX$466

-66.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.32 NZ$14.23

$6.51 MX$114

27.80%

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

$397 NZ$679

$428 MX$7,485

-7.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,782 NZ$8,181

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.3 NZ$120

$57.3 MX$1,001

22.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.18 NZ$51.6

$45.50 MX$796

-33.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$178

$104 MX$1,819

-0.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 NZ$194

$108 MX$1,885

5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 NZ$1,359

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 NZ$1,034

$623 MX$10.9K

-2.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 NZ$2,111

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 NZ$1,854

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-11.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,458 NZ$4,205

$1,038 MX$18.1K

136.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.34

-41.01%

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

Last update for Masterton: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $794 in Masterton and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 137% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $292, 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 137% 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 $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $92.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,529 per month in Masterton versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,529 in Masterton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Masterton. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mexico City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Masterton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Masterton and Mexico City 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.