Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Ames, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Wellington and Ames, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,277 in Wellington versus $2,095 in Ames, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,544 in Wellington versus $3,171 in Ames, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,812 in Wellington versus $4,246 in Ames, IA.

Living in Wellington is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ames, IA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 70% above, Ames, IA 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 NZ$29.56

$17.67 $17.67

-2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 NZ$146

$45.18 $45.18

88.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.95

$9.17 $9.17

8.07%

Cappuccino

$3.75 NZ$6.42

$5.29 $5.29

-29.11%

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

$2.61 NZ$4.46

$2.02 $2.02

29.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 NZ$3.74

$1.79 $1.79

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.27

$3.04 $3.04

135.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 NZ$12.61

$7.01 $7.01

5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.02 $1.02

76.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.46

$3.61 $3.61

-44.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.27

$3.05 $3.05

-37.38%

Eggs

$6.98 NZ$11.95

$3.20 $3.20

118.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 NZ$13.60

$9.55 $9.55

-16.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.26 NZ$19.27

$11.58 $11.58

-2.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 NZ$22.02

$14.26 $14.26

-9.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.21

$4.97 $4.97

-38.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.16 $1.16

103.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.31

$5.65 $5.65

-45.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$5.10 $5.10

-5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 NZ$3.53

$3.97 $3.97

-48.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 NZ$2.68

$3.78 $3.78

-58.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.85

$2.02 $2.02

11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.23

$1.91 $1.91

-31.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.06 NZ$44.59

$9.18 $9.18

183.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.75 NZ$18.38

$16.12 $16.12

-33.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 NZ$6.25

$1.70 $1.70

114.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 NZ$5.62

$4.58 $4.58

-28.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 NZ$4.61

$1.54 $1.54

74.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$181

$48.34 $48.34

118.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.72

$5.07 $5.07

-45.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.15

$1.42 $1.42

29.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.8 NZ$104

$49.06 $49.06

23.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 NZ$2.82

$0.87 $0.87

89.66%

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

$33.3K NZ$57.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

31.04%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.7K

$25.2K $25.2K

1.28%

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

$160 NZ$274

$193 $193

-17.11%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$48.88 $48.88

-31.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 NZ$88.1

$72.8 $72.8

-29.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.81 NZ$61.3

$69.1 $69.1

-48.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.66 NZ$35.35

$19.83 $19.83

4.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 NZ$20.27

$14.02 $14.02

-15.48%

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

$792 NZ$1,356

$1,458 $1,458

-45.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K NZ$22.2K

$30.4K $30.4K

-57.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$125

$39.41 $39.41

85.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NZ$92.0

$42.67 $42.67

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 NZ$203

$84.2 $84.2

40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 NZ$243

$115 $115

23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 NZ$2,229

$989 $989

31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 NZ$1,872

$814 $814

34.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 NZ$3,594

$1,904 $1,904

10.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 NZ$3,255

$1,667 $1,667

14.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,864 NZ$11.7K

$2,363 $2,363

190.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,720 NZ$6,364

$2,255 $2,255

64.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,800 NZ$4,790

$3,584 $3,584

-21.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.02

15.28%

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

Last update for Wellington: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Wellington and $989 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Wellington vs $45.00 in Ames, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $339 vs $381, 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

Wellington vs Ames, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ames, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Wellington. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ames, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Ames, IA. 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: $1,303 in Wellington versus $989 in Ames, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ames, IA runs roughly 119% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $792 in Wellington versus $1,458 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,095 in Ames, IA versus $2,277 in Wellington, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ames, IA but tight or insufficient in Wellington. The gap between the two cities makes Ames, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ames, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,095 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ames, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Wellington and Ames, IA 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 Ames, IA 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.