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: $2,460 in Wellington versus $2,367 in Augusta, ME.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Wellington versus $3,339 in Augusta, ME.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,495 in Wellington versus $4,312 in Augusta, ME.

Living in Wellington is roughly 4% more expensive than in Augusta, ME, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Wellington 80% above, Augusta, ME 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 NZ$25.21

$20.02 $20.02

-27.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 NZ$117

$52.4 $52.4

27.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 NZ$16.08

$10.25 $10.25

-10.24%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$5.29 $5.29

-36.29%

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

$2.47 NZ$4.31

$2.28 $2.28

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$1.55 $1.55

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 NZ$13.26

$4.92 $4.92

54.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 NZ$11.81

$7.52 $7.52

-10.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$1.13 $1.13

68.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 NZ$3.87

$4.35 $4.35

-49.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.31

$1.48 $1.48

27.70%

Eggs

$7.04 NZ$12.31

$3.83 $3.83

83.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.75

$15.09 $15.09

-36.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 NZ$16.93

$13.88 $13.88

-30.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 NZ$26.90

$19.04 $19.04

-19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 NZ$5.60

$7.41 $7.41

-56.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.85

$1.26 $1.26

74.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 NZ$5.47

$3.22 $3.22

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 NZ$11.51

$4.58 $4.58

43.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 NZ$3.84

$2.23 $2.23

-1.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 NZ$2.20

$2.74 $2.74

-54.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 NZ$3.63

$2.07 $2.07

0.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.14

$1.72 $1.72

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.41 NZ$46.17

$11.97 $11.97

120.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 NZ$20.42

$13.12 $13.12

-10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 NZ$5.59

$1.60 $1.60

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 NZ$4.93

$1.55 $1.55

81.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 NZ$4.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 NZ$179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$2.59 $2.59

-24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.21

$1.22 $1.22

50.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.32 NZ$61.7

$28.20 $28.20

25.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 NZ$3.39

$0.84 $0.84

130.95%

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

$26.1K NZ$45.6K

$36.3K $36.3K

-28.15%

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

$26.2K NZ$45.9K

$24.6K $24.6K

6.60%

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

$201 NZ$351

$246 $246

-18.51%

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

$33.20 NZ$58.0

$45.73 $45.73

-27.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$95.4

$60.2 $60.2

-9.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.64 NZ$69.3

$22.42 $22.42

76.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 NZ$29.48

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 NZ$21.30

$13.76 $13.76

-11.48%

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

$1,109 NZ$1,938

$2,893 $2,893

-61.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K NZ$23.4K

$36.2K $36.2K

-63.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 NZ$140

$73.0 $73.0

9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.42 NZ$51.4

$48.45 $48.45

-39.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 NZ$182

$118 $118

-11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 NZ$278

$171 $171

-6.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 NZ$2,159

$1,184 $1,184

4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,176 NZ$2,057

$1,083 $1,083

8.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 NZ$3,865

$1,578 $1,578

40.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 NZ$3,060

$1,475 $1,475

18.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,730 NZ$11.8K

$2,351 $2,351

186.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,659 NZ$6,396

$2,393 $2,393

52.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,864 NZ$5,007

$1,956 $1,956

46.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

6.28

-14.17%

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

Last update for Wellington: September 13, 2026

Last update for Augusta, ME: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Wellington and $1,184 in Augusta, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wellington pays 46% 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: $67.0 in Wellington vs $52.0 in Augusta, ME. Groceries flip the comparison at $352 vs $407, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($2,460 vs $2,367 including rent). Augusta, ME is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $1,235 in Wellington versus $1,184 in Augusta, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,109 in Wellington versus $2,893 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 $52.0 versus $67.0 in Wellington. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,367 in Augusta, ME versus $2,460 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 4% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.