Columbus, WI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Columbus, WI Summary

Cost of living in Columbus research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Columbus is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Wisconsin, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Columbus is 97, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Columbus is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Columbus ranks as the #83 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 143.

  • Columbus ranks as the #2,747 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Columbus is $170,500.

  • The median income in Columbus is $62,833.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
97
Columbus's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Columbus, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbus has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Columbus has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.

The standard of living in Columbus ranks as #83 most affordable out of the 143 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Columbus ranks as the #60 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Columbus, check out:

83 out of 143
In Wisconsin
2,747 out of 6,412
In America

Columbus Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbus. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Columbus is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Columbus is 110.

  • The Health index in Columbus is 125.

  • The Housing index in Columbus is 82.

  • The Transportation index in Columbus is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Columbus is 99.

Living Expense Columbus Wisconsin National Average
Overall 97 95 100
Services 106 97 100
Groceries 110 98 100
Health 125 114 100
Housing 82 84 100
Transportation 103 96 100
Utilities 99 103 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Columbus Cost of Living Vs. WI

Columbus, WI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Wisconsin, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Columbus is $170,500.

  • The Median Rent in Columbus is $789.

  • The Median Income in Columbus is $62,833.

  • The Home Value To Income in Columbus is 2.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbus is 0.15x.

Statistic Columbus Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $170,500 $200,400 $244,900
Median Rent $789 $916 $1,163
Median Income $62,833 $67,080 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.7x 3.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.16x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Columbus, WI
$170,500
Median Home Value
$789
Median Rent
$62,833
Median Income

Columbus, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Columbus Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Columbus Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $10.98 $10.68
Bowling $22.33 $14.67
Haircut $18.66 $18.62
Beauty Salon $48.44 $39.05

Detailed Columbus Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Columbus Wisconsin
Ground Beef $4.41 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.39
Milk $2.26 $2.05
Potatoes $2.55 $3.29
Pizza $10.49 $10.62
Beer $8.27 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.36 $2.34

Detailed Columbus Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Columbus Wisconsin
Optometrist $57.0 $108.57
Doctor $201.33 $116.17
Dentist $113.22 $99.13

Detailed Columbus Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Columbus Wisconsin
Gasoline $2.18 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.17 $50.07

Detailed Columbus Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Columbus Wisconsin
All Electricity $169.31 $167.67
Phone $179.44 $175.64

Columbus SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
4
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbus

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Columbus. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Columbus.

  • Watertown, WI has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Columbus.

  • Beaver Dam, WI has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Columbus.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Columbus
Sun Prairie, WI 35,528 108 1.1x
Watertown, WI 23,030 99 1.0x
Beaver Dam, WI 16,594 90 0.9x
DeForest, WI 10,700 104 1.1x
Cottage Grove, WI 7,255 115 1.2x
Lake Mills, WI 6,194 101 1.0x

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