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: $2,447 in Wellington versus $2,154 in Ames, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,492 in Wellington versus $3,214 in Ames, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,537 in Wellington versus $4,273 in Ames, IA.

Living in Wellington is roughly 14% more expensive than in Ames, IA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 78% above, Ames, IA 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.31 NZ$24.45

$18.20 $18.20

-21.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NZ$115

$52.1 $52.1

29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 NZ$16.51

$12.07 $12.07

-19.97%

Cappuccino

$3.43 NZ$5.87

$5.07 $5.07

-32.35%

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

$2.51 NZ$4.29

$2.65 $2.65

-5.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 NZ$13.25

$4.10 $4.10

89.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$12.02

$7.05 $7.05

-0.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.90 $0.90

116.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$3.67 $3.67

-35.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$3.36 $3.36

-41.67%

Eggs

$7.23 NZ$12.36

$3.34 $3.34

116.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 NZ$16.23

$10.16 $10.16

-6.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 NZ$17.22

$14.39 $14.39

-29.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 NZ$26.75

$18.47 $18.47

-15.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 NZ$5.63

$5.89 $5.89

-43.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.90

$1.83 $1.83

24.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 NZ$5.31

$6.45 $6.45

-51.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.90 NZ$11.79

$5.02 $5.02

37.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.89

$4.33 $4.33

-47.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 NZ$2.29

$3.80 $3.80

-64.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 NZ$3.58

$2.34 $2.34

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 NZ$2.14

$2.55 $2.55

-50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.38 NZ$45.08

$13.14 $13.14

100.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 NZ$20.58

$15.85 $15.85

-24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 NZ$5.63

$2.76 $2.76

19.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 NZ$4.97

$5.05 $5.05

-42.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 NZ$5.11

$1.01 $1.01

196.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 NZ$183

$35.29 $35.29

204.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 NZ$3.35

$5.03 $5.03

-61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.32

$1.67 $1.67

16.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 NZ$59.7

$24.03 $24.03

45.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$0.91 $0.91

114.29%

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

$27.1K NZ$46.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

7.32%

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

$26.2K NZ$44.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

4.70%

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

$210 NZ$359

$160 $160

31.23%

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

$32.92 NZ$56.2

$54.9 $54.9

-40.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 NZ$97.5

$68.5 $68.5

-16.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 NZ$69.0

$68.9 $68.9

-41.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.41 NZ$29.75

$19.76 $19.76

-11.89%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 NZ$22.46

$15.77 $15.77

-16.68%

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

$1,097 NZ$1,874

$1,376 $1,376

-20.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-61.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.6 NZ$141

$58.7 $58.7

40.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.26 NZ$50.0

$44.80 $44.80

-34.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 NZ$181

$89.9 $89.9

17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 NZ$270

$106 $106

48.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 NZ$2,230

$1,032 $1,032

26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 NZ$2,058

$823 $823

46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 NZ$3,918

$1,806 $1,806

26.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 NZ$3,059

$1,513 $1,513

18.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,973 NZ$11.9K

$2,403 $2,403

190.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 NZ$6,358

$2,224 $2,224

67.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 NZ$5,050

$3,636 $3,636

-18.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.02

-10.47%

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

Last update for Wellington: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,305 in Wellington and $1,032 in Ames, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Wellington vs $52.0 in Ames, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $362 vs $438, 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 14% 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 23% 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: $1,305 in Wellington versus $1,032 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 204% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,097 in Wellington versus $1,376 in Ames, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,154 in Ames, IA versus $2,447 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 $2,154 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 14% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.