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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,303 in Wellington versus $2,241 in Augusta, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,534 in Wellington versus $3,281 in Augusta, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,764 in Wellington versus $4,322 in Augusta, ME.

Living in Wellington is roughly 3% more expensive than in Augusta, ME, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 73% above, Augusta, ME 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.73 NZ$30.55

$20.25 $20.25

-12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 NZ$144

$75.1 $75.1

11.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 NZ$16.17

$7.62 $7.62

23.23%

Cappuccino

$3.78 NZ$6.51

$4.92 $4.92

-23.17%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.25

$2.34 $2.34

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.79

$1.95 $1.95

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$5.13 $5.13

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 NZ$12.15

$5.92 $5.92

19.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.24

$1.10 $1.10

70.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.65

$3.49 $3.49

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.22

$1.84 $1.84

1.63%

Eggs

$7.17 NZ$12.36

$3.80 $3.80

88.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$14.22

$17.04 $17.04

-51.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 NZ$19.15

$11.98 $11.98

-7.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 NZ$22.86

$18.48 $18.48

-28.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 NZ$5.41

$4.41 $4.41

-28.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$4.02

$1.31 $1.31

77.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 NZ$5.34

$3.15 $3.15

-1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 NZ$8.06

$6.65 $6.65

-29.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NZ$3.45

$2.22 $2.22

-9.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.79

$3.26 $3.26

-50.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 NZ$3.89

$2.83 $2.83

-20.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 NZ$2.23

$1.54 $1.54

-15.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.08 NZ$44.94

$8.83 $8.83

195.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 NZ$18.75

$13.44 $13.44

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.08

$2.84 $2.84

24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 NZ$5.68

$1.95 $1.95

69.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 NZ$4.70

$1.96 $1.96

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 NZ$181

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 NZ$4.80

$2.53 $2.53

10.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.11

$1.25 $1.25

44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.0 NZ$103

$27.68 $27.68

116.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.99

$0.90 $0.90

92.22%

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

$33.7K NZ$58.1K

$29.6K $29.6K

13.69%

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

$24.6K NZ$42.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

-3.19%

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

$155 NZ$267

$193 $193

-19.85%

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

$33.22 NZ$57.3

$58.7 $58.7

-43.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$89.3

$76.5 $76.5

-32.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.56 NZ$61.3

$30.06 $30.06

18.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.11 NZ$34.64

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 NZ$20.95

$12.75 $12.75

-4.63%

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

$806 NZ$1,389

$2,743 $2,743

-70.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K NZ$22.2K

$27.8K $27.8K

-53.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 NZ$126

$66.1 $66.1

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 NZ$89.9

$44.12 $44.12

18.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$203

$85.0 $85.0

38.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$248

$146 $146

-1.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 NZ$2,265

$1,040 $1,040

26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,899

$934 $934

17.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,132 NZ$3,673

$1,598 $1,598

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 NZ$3,267

$1,494 $1,494

26.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,989 NZ$12.0K

$2,397 $2,397

191.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,785 NZ$6,521

$2,399 $2,399

57.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,670 NZ$4,601

$1,994 $1,994

33.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.43

7.93%

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

Last update for Wellington: July 27, 2026

Last update for Augusta, ME: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,315 in Wellington and $1,040 in Augusta, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 34% 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: $84.0 in Wellington vs $75.0 in Augusta, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $342 vs $399, 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 Augusta, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wellington and Augusta, ME differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($2,303 vs $2,241 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Wellington, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,315 in Wellington versus $1,040 in Augusta, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $806 in Wellington versus $2,743 in Augusta, ME. 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 $2,241 in Augusta, ME versus $2,303 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, Wellington and Augusta, ME 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 3% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.