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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Wellington is roughly 56% more expensive than Masterton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 NZ$29.21

$9.85 NZ$16.63

75.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.5 NZ$143

$90.9 NZ$153

-6.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 NZ$16.49

$9.20 NZ$15.54

6.20%

Cappuccino

$3.80 NZ$6.41

$3.20 NZ$5.41

18.75%

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

$2.60 NZ$4.40

$2.13 NZ$3.59

22.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.68

$1.65 NZ$2.78

32.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.03 NZ$11.88

$3.72 NZ$6.29

88.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.59

$4.27 NZ$7.20

74.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 NZ$3.15

$1.48 NZ$2.50

26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.56

$1.62 NZ$2.74

30.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.30

$1.16 NZ$1.96

68.10%

Eggs

$6.88 NZ$11.62

$6.29 NZ$10.63

9.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NZ$13.73

$7.06 NZ$11.91

15.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.06 NZ$18.67

$9.00 NZ$15.19

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 NZ$22.19

$12.42 NZ$20.98

5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.27

$1.84 NZ$3.11

69.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.78

$1.88 NZ$3.18

19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.05

$2.51 NZ$4.24

19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 NZ$7.97

$3.41 NZ$5.76

38.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.44 NZ$2.44

43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.17 NZ$1.97

41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 NZ$3.73

$1.85 NZ$3.13

19.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 NZ$2.17

$0.90 NZ$1.53

42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.87 NZ$45.36

$20.45 NZ$34.52

31.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 NZ$19.82

$11.94 NZ$20.16

-1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 NZ$5.95

$2.25 NZ$3.80

56.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 NZ$5.37

$2.68 NZ$4.53

18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.64

$2.37 NZ$4.01

16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$181

$63.2 NZ$107

69.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$2.47 NZ$4.17

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$1.85 NZ$3.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.4 NZ$102

$41.43 NZ$70.0

45.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.89

$1.61 NZ$2.72

6.21%

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

$33.6K NZ$56.7K

$24.4K NZ$41.2K

37.87%

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

$24.6K NZ$41.5K

$23.2K NZ$39.1K

6.03%

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

$160 NZ$270

$80.3 NZ$136

99.43%

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

$32.55 NZ$55.0

$32.14 NZ$54.3

1.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$87.0

$48.89 NZ$82.5

5.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 NZ$62.1

$41.50 NZ$70.1

-11.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.60 NZ$34.78

$8.87 NZ$14.98

132.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.17 NZ$20.55

$8.18 NZ$13.80

48.78%

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

$800 NZ$1,351

$407 NZ$687

96.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K NZ$21.4K

$4,895 NZ$8,264

158.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 NZ$124

$68.9 NZ$116

6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 NZ$89.7

$29.90 NZ$50.5

77.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$201

$105 NZ$177

13.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$239

$114 NZ$193

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 NZ$2,261

$785 NZ$1,326

70.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 NZ$1,865

$597 NZ$1,008

85.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,103 NZ$3,551

$1,238 NZ$2,090

69.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 NZ$3,188

$1,098 NZ$1,854

71.98%

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)

$3,057 NZ$5,161

$2,518 NZ$4,252

21.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.69

3.74%

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

Last update for Wellington: May 31, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Wellington and $785 in Masterton. 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: $85.0 in Wellington vs $91.0 in Masterton. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $277, 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

Wellington vs Masterton: 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.

Wellington pays 21% more on average, 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: $1,339 in Wellington versus $785 in Masterton. 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 $2,354 per month in Wellington versus $1,511 in Masterton – 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, Wellington 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 56% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.