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: $2,436 in Wellington versus $863 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,489 in Wellington versus $1,491 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,542 in Wellington versus $2,120 in Masterton.

Living in Wellington is roughly 182% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Wellington is 77% above, Masterton is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 NZ$24.54

$9.76 NZ$16.69

46.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 NZ$115

$66.4 NZ$114

1.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 NZ$16.63

$9.00 NZ$15.40

8.00%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.84

$3.40 NZ$5.81

0.29%

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

$2.57 NZ$4.40

$2.01 NZ$3.45

27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.21 NZ$2.06

52.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.61 NZ$13.01

$4.13 NZ$7.07

84.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 NZ$12.18

$3.47 NZ$5.93

105.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.45 NZ$2.48

32.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 NZ$3.97

$2.24 NZ$3.83

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.30

$1.10 NZ$1.88

75.45%

Eggs

$7.29 NZ$12.46

$6.49 NZ$11.11

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.73

$8.98 NZ$15.36

8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 NZ$17.19

$10.04 NZ$17.18

0.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 NZ$26.91

$15.96 NZ$27.30

-1.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.48

$2.34 NZ$4.00

37.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 NZ$3.96

$1.81 NZ$3.09

27.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.39

$3.13 NZ$5.35

0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 NZ$11.41

$4.66 NZ$7.98

43.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 NZ$3.67

$1.56 NZ$2.67

37.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 NZ$2.24

$1.12 NZ$1.92

16.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 NZ$3.74

$1.74 NZ$2.97

25.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 NZ$2.06

$0.54 NZ$0.93

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.36 NZ$45.10

$20.79 NZ$35.56

26.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 NZ$20.29

$11.68 NZ$19.98

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 NZ$5.55

$0.98 NZ$1.68

230.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 NZ$4.99

$1.20 NZ$2.05

143.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 NZ$5.13

$2.37 NZ$4.05

26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$185

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 NZ$3.36

$1.91 NZ$3.27

3.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.85 NZ$3.16

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.88 NZ$59.7

$34.91 NZ$59.7

-0.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 NZ$3.39

$1.81 NZ$3.10

9.39%

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

$26.0K NZ$44.4K

$23.7K NZ$40.5K

9.61%

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

$26.7K NZ$45.7K

$26.0K NZ$44.4K

2.97%

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

$206 NZ$353

$57.9 NZ$99.0

256.43%

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

$32.99 NZ$56.4

$30.83 NZ$52.7

7.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 NZ$96.2

$55.1 NZ$94.3

2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.29 NZ$68.9

$44.60 NZ$76.3

-9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 NZ$29.11

$8.59 NZ$14.69

98.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.98 NZ$22.20

$9.97 NZ$17.06

30.19%

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

$1,107 NZ$1,894

$1,100 NZ$1,882

0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.1K

$13.7K NZ$23.5K

-1.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$137

$58.4 NZ$99.8

37.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.15 NZ$49.86

$28.82 NZ$49.29

1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 NZ$184

$105 NZ$179

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 NZ$278

$145 NZ$248

11.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,218

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 NZ$2,070

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 NZ$3,897

$1,054 NZ$1,802

116.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 NZ$3,008

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,004 NZ$12.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,701 NZ$6,331

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,914 NZ$4,984

$2,481 NZ$4,243

17.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

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

Last update for Wellington: September 7, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Wellington pays 17% 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: $67.0 in Wellington vs $66.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $302 per month, with Masterton cheaper across the board.

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 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% higher in Wellington, 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 19% higher in Wellington. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,436 per month in Wellington versus $863 in Masterton – a 182% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $863 in Masterton versus $2,436 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 182% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.