Cost of Living Comparison Between Augusta, ME and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Augusta, ME and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,164 in Augusta, ME versus $2,352 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,209 in Augusta, ME versus $3,549 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Augusta, ME versus $4,746 in Wellington.

Living in Augusta, ME costs roughly 8% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Augusta, ME 61% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$17.58 NZ$30.02

13.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$84.0 NZ$143

-10.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.67 $7.67

$9.76 NZ$16.66

-21.41%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.63 NZ$6.19

34.99%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.20 NZ$3.75

-12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.07 NZ$12.07

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 $6.01

$7.22 NZ$12.33

-16.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.10 NZ$3.59

70.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.96 NZ$3.34

-6.12%

Eggs

$3.68 $3.68

$6.93 NZ$11.83

-46.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$8.17 NZ$13.95

107.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$11.14 NZ$19.02

9.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.87 $18.87

$12.93 NZ$22.08

45.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.02 NZ$5.16

47.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.36 NZ$4.02

-44.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.02 NZ$5.16

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.67 NZ$7.97

40.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.03 NZ$3.46

9.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.65 NZ$2.82

101.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.21 NZ$3.77

29.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.24 NZ$2.12

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.84 $8.84

$27.01 NZ$46.13

-67.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$11.62 NZ$19.84

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.58 NZ$6.11

-18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.27 NZ$5.58

-37.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.78 NZ$4.75

-25.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$108 NZ$184

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.63 NZ$4.50

-3.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-30.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.23 $28.23

$60.4 NZ$103

-53.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.67 NZ$2.85

-48.50%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$33.3K NZ$56.8K

-9.91%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$24.6K NZ$42.0K

2.89%

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

$195 $195

$156 NZ$266

25.41%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$32.71 NZ$55.9

78.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.3 $77.3

$51.0 NZ$87.0

51.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.03 $30.03

$35.71 NZ$61.0

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 NZ$34.39

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 $13.23

$12.11 NZ$20.69

9.25%

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

$2,794 $2,794

$800 NZ$1,365

249.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K $27.9K

$12.9K NZ$22.1K

116.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$73.4 NZ$125

-7.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.37 $45.37

$52.8 NZ$90.1

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$121 NZ$206

-28.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$144 NZ$246

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 $1,061

$1,307 NZ$2,232

-18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 $958

$1,110 NZ$1,896

-13.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$2,163 NZ$3,693

-25.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 $1,464

$1,925 NZ$3,286

-23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 $2,358

$7,075 NZ$12.1K

-66.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$3,769 NZ$6,436

-37.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,001 $2,001

$3,021 NZ$5,159

-33.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.94

-7.35%

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

Last update for Augusta, ME: June 8, 2026

Last update for Wellington: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Augusta, ME and $1,307 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 51% 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: $75.0 in Augusta, ME vs $84.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $340, with Wellington 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

Augusta, ME vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Augusta, ME and Wellington differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,164 vs $2,352 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Wellington earns 51% 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: $1,061 in Augusta, ME versus $1,307 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,794 in Augusta, ME versus $800 in Wellington. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Augusta, ME – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $84.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,164 in Augusta, ME versus $2,352 in Wellington, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Augusta, ME but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Augusta, ME 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, Augusta, ME 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 Augusta, ME gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.