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: $867 in Masterton versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,478 in Masterton versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,089 in Masterton versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Masterton costs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 37% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.94 NZ$17.38

$11.92 MX$206

-16.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 NZ$117

$51.6 MX$890

29.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 NZ$15.01

$11.41 MX$197

-24.72%

Cappuccino

$3.30 NZ$5.77

$3.99 MX$68.9

-17.29%

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

$2.07 NZ$3.62

$1.66 MX$28.61

24.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.06

$1.33 MX$22.87

-11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 NZ$6.89

$3.47 MX$59.9

13.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.18

$5.90 MX$102

-40.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.59

$1.88 MX$32.36

-21.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 NZ$3.93

$3.25 MX$56.1

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 NZ$1.87

$2.16 MX$37.26

-50.46%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$11.04

$2.90 MX$49.94

117.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 NZ$15.36

$12.86 MX$222

-31.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 NZ$17.90

$10.05 MX$173

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.78 NZ$27.59

$15.86 MX$273

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.12

$3.29 MX$56.8

-28.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.12

$2.01 MX$34.60

-10.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 NZ$5.53

$2.20 MX$37.93

43.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 NZ$8.21

$2.36 MX$40.63

99.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 NZ$2.71

$2.05 MX$35.43

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$2.02

$1.90 MX$32.79

-38.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 NZ$3.11

$1.61 MX$27.68

10.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 NZ$0.87

$1.40 MX$24.09

-64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.84 NZ$34.69

$5.46 MX$94.2

263.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 NZ$19.87

$17.65 MX$304

-35.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.57

$2.06 MX$35.44

-56.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.08

$4.68 MX$80.8

-74.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 NZ$4.12

$0.34 MX$5.84

594.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 NZ$3.26

$2.10 MX$36.15

-10.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.16

$0.56 MX$9.64

223.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.33 NZ$60.0

$5.81 MX$100

490.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$3.04

$1.61 MX$27.68

8.07%

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

$23.4K NZ$41.0K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

2.56%

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

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-4.83%

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

$57.7 NZ$101

$65.2 MX$1,124

-11.43%

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

$31.00 NZ$54.2

$30.09 MX$519

3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$37.18 MX$641

46.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.22 NZ$75.6

$59.8 MX$1,030

-27.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.33 NZ$14.56

$26.55 MX$458

-68.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.70 NZ$16.96

$7.04 MX$121

37.78%

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

$1,069 NZ$1,869

$465 MX$8,012

130.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

0.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 NZ$99.6

$75.9 MX$1,308

-24.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 NZ$50.7

$56.0 MX$965

-48.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$183

$112 MX$1,929

-6.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$248

$121 MX$2,078

17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 NZ$1,804

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,429 NZ$4,247

$1,037 MX$17.9K

134.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

11.3

-52.30%

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

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 134% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Masterton vs $52.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $345, 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

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 134% higher in Masterton, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $867 per month in Masterton versus $1,660 in Mexico City – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masterton is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, 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 Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.