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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $867 in Masterton.

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

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

Living in Mexico City is roughly 91% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$9.94 NZ$17.38

19.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$66.8 NZ$117

-22.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.59 NZ$15.01

32.83%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.30 NZ$5.77

20.91%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.07 NZ$3.62

-19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.18 NZ$2.06

12.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.94 NZ$6.89

-11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.53 NZ$6.18

67.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.48 NZ$2.59

27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.25 NZ$3.93

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.07 NZ$1.87

101.87%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$6.32 NZ$11.04

-54.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.78 NZ$15.36

46.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$10.24 NZ$17.90

-1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$15.78 NZ$27.59

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.36 NZ$4.12

39.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.79 NZ$3.12

12.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$3.16 NZ$5.53

-30.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$4.70 NZ$8.21

-49.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.55 NZ$2.71

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.16 NZ$2.02

63.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.78 NZ$3.11

-9.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.50 NZ$0.87

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$19.84 NZ$34.69

-72.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$11.37 NZ$19.87

55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.90 NZ$1.57

128.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.19 NZ$2.08

293.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-85.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.87 NZ$3.26

12.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.81 NZ$3.16

-69.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$34.33 NZ$60.0

-83.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.74 NZ$3.04

-7.47%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$23.4K NZ$41.0K

-2.49%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

5.07%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$57.7 NZ$101

12.90%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$31.00 NZ$54.2

-2.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-31.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$43.22 NZ$75.6

38.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$8.33 NZ$14.56

218.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$9.70 NZ$16.96

-27.42%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$1,069 NZ$1,869

-56.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

-0.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$57.0 NZ$99.6

33.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$28.98 NZ$50.7

93.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$104 NZ$183

7.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$142 NZ$248

-15.16%

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)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,032 NZ$1,804

145.09%

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)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,429 NZ$4,247

-57.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.39

109.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $67.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $300, 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

Mexico City vs Masterton: 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.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Masterton. 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 15% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $867 in Masterton – 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, Mexico City and Masterton 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.