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: $2,171 in Augusta, ME versus $2,347 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,211 in Augusta, ME versus $3,521 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,250 in Augusta, ME versus $4,694 in Wellington.

Living in Augusta, ME costs roughly 7% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Augusta, ME 62% above, Wellington 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$17.25 NZ$29.50

16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 $74.4

$83.1 NZ$142

-10.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 $7.55

$9.68 NZ$16.55

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$3.72 NZ$6.36

35.75%

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

$2.29 $2.29

$2.52 NZ$4.30

-9.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.11 NZ$3.61

-12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$7.26 NZ$12.41

-33.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$7.45 NZ$12.73

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-40.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.07 NZ$3.54

67.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.86 NZ$3.19

-6.45%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$7.20 NZ$12.30

-48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.59 $16.59

$8.26 NZ$14.13

100.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$11.03 NZ$18.86

10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.65 $18.65

$13.10 NZ$22.40

42.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.15 NZ$5.38

40.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.34 NZ$4.01

-44.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.02 NZ$5.16

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.81 NZ$8.23

39.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.99 NZ$3.40

8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.63 NZ$2.78

99.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.20 NZ$3.76

30.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.24 NZ$2.12

18.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

$26.81 NZ$45.84

-66.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$10.81 NZ$18.49

37.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.50 NZ$5.99

-18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.14 NZ$5.38

-37.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.75 NZ$4.70

-26.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.76 NZ$4.71

-5.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.81 NZ$3.09

-29.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.86 $27.86

$61.4 NZ$105

-54.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.73 NZ$2.96

-50.87%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

-11.17%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

-1.38%

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

$195 $195

$158 NZ$271

23.38%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$33.45 NZ$57.2

70.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$52.1 NZ$89.1

44.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.58 $30.58

$36.59 NZ$62.6

-16.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 $13.15

$12.04 NZ$20.59

9.22%

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

$2,814 $2,814

$816 NZ$1,396

244.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

116.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 $67.2

$71.1 NZ$122

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.27 $44.27

$52.1 NZ$89.0

-14.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 $86.1

$120 NZ$204

-27.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$140 NZ$240

5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 $1,064

$1,327 NZ$2,270

-19.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 $941

$1,102 NZ$1,885

-14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$2,156 NZ$3,687

-26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 $1,450

$1,959 NZ$3,349

-25.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

-65.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,408 $2,408

$3,990 NZ$6,823

-39.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,970 $1,970

$3,088 NZ$5,280

-36.20%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,064 in Augusta, ME and $1,327 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 57% 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: $74.0 in Augusta, ME vs $83.0 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $400 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 8% in total monthly costs ($2,171 vs $2,347 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Wellington earns 57% 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: $1,064 in Augusta, ME versus $1,327 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,814 in Augusta, ME versus $816 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 $74.0 versus $83.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,171 in Augusta, ME versus $2,347 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 8% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.