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

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

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

Living in Wellington is roughly 8% more expensive than Augusta, ME, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.25 NZ$29.50

$20.02 $20.02

-13.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 NZ$142

$74.4 $74.4

11.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 NZ$16.55

$7.55 $7.55

28.21%

Cappuccino

$3.72 NZ$6.36

$5.05 $5.05

-26.34%

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

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$2.29 $2.29

10.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 NZ$3.61

$1.85 $1.85

14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 NZ$12.41

$4.86 $4.86

49.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 NZ$12.73

$5.97 $5.97

24.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.25

$1.13 $1.13

68.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$3.47 $3.47

-40.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.19

$1.74 $1.74

6.90%

Eggs

$7.20 NZ$12.30

$3.70 $3.70

94.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.13

$16.59 $16.59

-50.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 NZ$18.86

$12.21 $12.21

-9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 NZ$22.40

$18.65 $18.65

-29.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 NZ$5.38

$4.43 $4.43

-28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 NZ$4.01

$1.29 $1.29

81.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.16

$3.10 $3.10

-2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 NZ$8.23

$6.69 $6.69

-28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.40

$2.16 $2.16

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$3.25 $3.25

-49.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$2.87 $2.87

-23.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NZ$2.12

$1.47 $1.47

-15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.81 NZ$45.84

$8.85 $8.85

202.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 NZ$18.49

$14.83 $14.83

-27.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 NZ$5.99

$2.87 $2.87

21.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 NZ$5.38

$1.97 $1.97

59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.75 NZ$4.70

$2.02 $2.02

36.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 NZ$182

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 NZ$4.71

$2.62 $2.62

5.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.27 $1.27

42.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$105

$27.86 $27.86

120.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$0.85 $0.85

103.53%

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

$33.5K NZ$57.2K

$29.7K $29.7K

12.58%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

1.40%

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

$158 NZ$271

$195 $195

-18.95%

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

$33.45 NZ$57.2

$57.0 $57.0

-41.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 NZ$89.1

$75.2 $75.2

-30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 NZ$62.6

$30.58 $30.58

19.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.68 NZ$35.37

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 NZ$20.59

$13.15 $13.15

-8.44%

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

$816 NZ$1,396

$2,814 $2,814

-70.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K NZ$21.9K

$27.7K $27.7K

-53.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 NZ$122

$67.2 $67.2

5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 NZ$89.0

$44.27 $44.27

17.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 NZ$204

$86.1 $86.1

38.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 NZ$240

$148 $148

-5.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 NZ$2,270

$1,064 $1,064

24.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 NZ$1,885

$941 $941

17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 NZ$3,687

$1,589 $1,589

35.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 NZ$3,349

$1,450 $1,450

35.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 NZ$11.5K

$2,334 $2,334

189.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,990 NZ$6,823

$2,408 $2,408

65.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,088 NZ$5,280

$1,970 $1,970

56.75%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Augusta, ME: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,327 in Wellington and $1,064 in Augusta, ME. 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: $83.0 in Wellington vs $74.0 in Augusta, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $340 vs $400, 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 8% in total monthly costs ($2,347 vs $2,171 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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

Childcare runs $816 in Wellington versus $2,814 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 $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, 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 8% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.