Cost of Living Comparison Between Belleville, IL and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Belleville, IL and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,284 per month in Belleville, IL vs $2,460 in Wellington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,411 per month in Belleville, IL vs $3,478 in Wellington, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,539 per month in Belleville, IL vs $4,495 in Wellington, rent included.

Belleville, IL is about 7% cheaper than Wellington, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Belleville, IL and Wellington sit above the global median – Belleville, IL by 67%, Wellington by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$14.42 NZ$25.21

22.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 $64.7

$66.7 NZ$117

-3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 $9.03

$9.20 NZ$16.08

-1.85%

Cappuccino

$4.82 $4.82

$3.37 NZ$5.89

43.03%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$2.47 NZ$4.31

-11.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 NZ$3.12

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.41 $4.41

$7.58 NZ$13.26

-41.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.76 NZ$11.81

-26.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.90 NZ$3.33

-40.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.21 NZ$3.87

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.89 NZ$3.31

69.31%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$7.04 NZ$12.31

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$9.58 NZ$16.75

28.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.68 $10.68

$9.68 NZ$16.93

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$15.39 NZ$26.90

-3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.20 NZ$5.60

120.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.20 NZ$3.85

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.13 NZ$5.47

42.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.58 NZ$11.51

-33.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 NZ$3.84

0.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.26 NZ$2.20

97.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.08 NZ$3.63

-16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.22 NZ$2.14

113.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$26.41 NZ$46.17

-68.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$11.68 NZ$20.42

29.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$3.20 NZ$5.59

-32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.82 NZ$4.93

7.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.84 NZ$4.96

-64.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.2 $79.2

$102 NZ$179

-22.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.95 NZ$3.41

124.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.84 NZ$3.21

39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.65 $17.65

$35.32 NZ$61.7

-50.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-51.55%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

38.61%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

-6.59%

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

$239 $239

$201 NZ$351

19.19%

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

$70.3 $70.3

$33.20 NZ$58.0

111.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$54.6 NZ$95.4

36.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.31 $34.31

$39.64 NZ$69.3

-13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.33 $30.33

$16.86 NZ$29.48

79.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 $13.93

$12.18 NZ$21.30

14.37%

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

$1,029 $1,029

$1,109 NZ$1,938

-7.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

-6.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$80.1 NZ$140

-25.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.00 $33.00

$29.42 NZ$51.4

12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$104 NZ$182

-14.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$159 NZ$278

-38.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 $1,301

$1,235 NZ$2,159

5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 $943

$1,176 NZ$2,057

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 $2,136

$2,211 NZ$3,865

-3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 $1,669

$1,750 NZ$3,060

-4.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 $2,383

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,856 $1,856

$3,659 NZ$6,396

-49.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,366 $6,366

$2,864 NZ$5,007

122.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.39

18.00%

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

Last update for Belleville, IL: September 15, 2026

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,301 in Belleville, IL versus $1,235 in Wellington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 122% higher in Belleville, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Belleville, IL versus $67.0 in Wellington. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Belleville, IL vs $352 in Wellington – so Wellington wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Belleville, IL vs Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington costs about 8% more than Belleville, IL, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,425 per month in Belleville, IL and $3,690 in Wellington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Belleville, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,029 per month in Belleville, IL and $1,109 in Wellington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Wellington – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Belleville, IL, where all-in costs run around $2,284, than in Wellington at $2,460. In Belleville, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wellington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Belleville, IL costs $2,284 versus $2,460 in Wellington. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Belleville, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wellington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.