Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Pohnpei

For one person, living is cheaper in Masterton: $832 a month against $1,667 in Pohnpei, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 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
81

Cost of Living Index in Pohnpei
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Pohnpei Living Index

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Masterton

🇳🇿 New Zealand

$832

/mo nomad

Pohnpei

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,667

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Masterton and in Pohnpei

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $832 in Masterton versus $1,667 in Pohnpei.

Masterton $832
Pohnpei $1,667

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,432 in Masterton versus $2,527 in Pohnpei.

Masterton $1,432
Pohnpei $2,527

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,032 in Masterton versus $3,388 in Pohnpei.

Masterton $2,032
Pohnpei $3,388

Living in Masterton costs roughly 50% less than in Pohnpei, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Masterton is 38% below, Pohnpei is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.54 NZ$16.88

$11.38 $11.38

-16.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 NZ$115

$44.31 $44.31

46.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 NZ$15.14

$7.36 $7.36

16.30%

Cappuccino

$3.18 NZ$5.62

$2.94 $2.94

8.16%

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

$2.02 NZ$3.57

$1.26 $1.26

60.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 NZ$1.93

$4.08 $4.08

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 NZ$6.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.79

$3.02 $3.02

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 NZ$2.51

$0.25 $0.25

468.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.91

$3.40 $3.40

-35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 NZ$1.82

$3.10 $3.10

-66.77%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$11.17

$7.27 $7.27

-13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.29 NZ$14.65

$6.94 $6.94

19.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 NZ$16.76

$4.87 $4.87

94.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.18 NZ$26.85

$11.31 $11.31

34.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 NZ$3.85

$5.82 $5.82

-62.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 NZ$3.02

$3.60 $3.60

-52.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.27

$5.47 $5.47

-45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 NZ$8.11

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 NZ$2.71

$5.10 $5.10

-70.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 NZ$1.90

$4.95 $4.95

-78.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 NZ$3.00

$3.77 $3.77

-54.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 NZ$0.92

$0.98 $0.98

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.51 NZ$34.50

$8.98 $8.98

117.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 NZ$19.83

$2.92 $2.92

283.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 NZ$1.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 NZ$2.02

$2.41 $2.41

-52.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 NZ$3.94

$1.02 $1.02

118.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 NZ$3.20

$5.05 $5.05

-64.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NZ$3.09

$1.22 $1.22

43.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.16 NZ$60.4

$4.05 $4.05

743.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.12

$3.81 $3.81

-53.54%

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

$22.0K NZ$39.0K

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

$24.8K NZ$43.9K

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

$55.0 NZ$97.3

$134 $134

-58.89%

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

$29.34 NZ$51.9

$39.58 $39.58

-25.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 NZ$93.3

$200 $200

-73.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 NZ$73.9

$20.18 $20.18

107.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.51 NZ$15.06

$49.10 $49.10

-82.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.68 NZ$17.12

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

$1,056 NZ$1,868

$168 $168

527.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K NZ$22.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 NZ$98.3

$78.4 $78.4

-29.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 NZ$48.79

$69.2 $69.2

-60.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 NZ$181

$110 $110

-7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$251

$97.9 $97.9

45.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 $907

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,002 NZ$1,773

$1,580 $1,580

-36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 $1,208

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,327 NZ$4,115

$349 $349

565.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

360000

-100.00%

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

Last update for Masterton: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pohnpei: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Masterton

$288 34.7%

Pohnpei

$292 * 17.5% 1.4% $4.1

Eating Out

Masterton

$179 21.5%

Pohnpei

$176 * 10.6% 1.5% $2.8

Clothing & Footwear

Masterton

$147 17.7%

Pohnpei

$160 9.6% 8.6% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Masterton

$137 16.5%

Pohnpei

$373 22.4% 172% $236

Sport & Entertainment

Masterton

$61 7.4%

Pohnpei

$20 * 1.2% 67% $41

Getting Around

Masterton

$19 * 2.3%

Pohnpei

$15 * 0.9% 21.9% $4.3

Accommodation & Living

Masterton

- * 0%

Pohnpei

$630 37.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 566% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Masterton vs $44.00 in Pohnpei. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $292, with Masterton cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇳🇿 Masterton

🇫🇲 Pohnpei

🕒 Local time

10:00 10:00 AM

08:00 8:00 AM

2 h behind Masterton

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,800

34,486

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.565 USD

1 NZD = 0.503 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to NZD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Masterton Pohnpei 5,610 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Masterton
Pohnpei

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 Pohnpei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 566% 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 1% higher in Pohnpei. 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 $1,667 in Pohnpei – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $832 in Masterton versus $1,667 in Pohnpei, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Pohnpei. 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 Pohnpei 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 100% less than in Pohnpei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.