Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Masterton and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,511 in Masterton versus $2,354 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Masterton versus $3,553 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,381 in Masterton versus $4,751 in Wellington.

Living in Masterton costs roughly 36% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Masterton 13% above, Wellington 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 NZ$16.63

$17.30 NZ$29.21

-43.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.9 NZ$153

$84.5 NZ$143

7.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$15.54

$9.77 NZ$16.49

-5.83%

Cappuccino

$3.20 NZ$5.41

$3.80 NZ$6.41

-15.79%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.59

$2.60 NZ$4.40

-18.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 NZ$2.78

$2.18 NZ$3.68

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 NZ$6.29

$7.03 NZ$11.88

-47.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 NZ$7.20

$7.45 NZ$12.59

-42.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 NZ$2.50

$1.87 NZ$3.15

-20.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 NZ$2.74

$2.11 NZ$3.56

-23.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 NZ$1.96

$1.95 NZ$3.30

-40.51%

Eggs

$6.29 NZ$10.63

$6.88 NZ$11.62

-8.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 NZ$11.91

$8.13 NZ$13.73

-13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 NZ$15.19

$11.06 NZ$18.67

-18.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 NZ$20.98

$13.14 NZ$22.19

-5.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$3.12 NZ$5.27

-41.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$2.24 NZ$3.78

-16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 NZ$4.24

$2.99 NZ$5.05

-16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.76

$4.72 NZ$7.97

-27.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.44

$2.07 NZ$3.49

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 NZ$1.97

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$2.21 NZ$3.73

-16.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 NZ$1.53

$1.28 NZ$2.17

-29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.45 NZ$34.52

$26.87 NZ$45.36

-23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 NZ$20.16

$11.74 NZ$19.82

1.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$3.52 NZ$5.95

-36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 NZ$4.53

$3.18 NZ$5.37

-15.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 NZ$4.01

$2.75 NZ$4.64

-13.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$107

$107 NZ$181

-40.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 NZ$4.17

$2.66 NZ$4.50

-7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.12

$1.85 NZ$3.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 NZ$70.0

$60.4 NZ$102

-31.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 NZ$2.72

$1.71 NZ$2.89

-5.85%

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

$24.4K NZ$41.2K

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

-27.47%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

-5.69%

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

$80.3 NZ$136

$160 NZ$270

-49.86%

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

$32.14 NZ$54.3

$32.55 NZ$55.0

-1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.89 NZ$82.5

$51.5 NZ$87.0

-5.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 NZ$70.1

$36.79 NZ$62.1

12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.87 NZ$14.98

$20.60 NZ$34.78

-56.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.18 NZ$13.80

$12.17 NZ$20.55

-32.79%

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

$407 NZ$687

$800 NZ$1,351

-49.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,895 NZ$8,264

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

-61.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 NZ$116

$73.5 NZ$124

-6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 NZ$50.5

$53.1 NZ$89.7

-43.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$177

$119 NZ$201

-11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 NZ$193

$142 NZ$239

-19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$785 NZ$1,326

$1,339 NZ$2,261

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 NZ$1,008

$1,105 NZ$1,865

-45.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 NZ$2,090

$2,103 NZ$3,551

-41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 NZ$1,854

$1,888 NZ$3,188

-41.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,602 NZ$11.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 NZ$6,579

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,518 NZ$4,252

$3,057 NZ$5,161

-17.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.94

-3.60%

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

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $785 in Masterton and $1,339 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 21% 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 $85.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $340, 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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Wellington earns 21% 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 $1,339 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Masterton – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $85.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,511 per month in Masterton versus $2,354 in Wellington – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,511 in Masterton versus $2,354 in Wellington, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Wellington. 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 Wellington, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Masterton and Wellington 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 56% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.