Beaver Dam, WI vs Columbus, OH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Columbus, OH has a modeled overall cost index 8.1% lower than Beaver Dam, WI.

Beaver Dam, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,110 / month
Columbus, OH · modeled 2BR rent: $1,315 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Beaver Dam, WI and Columbus, OH using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Beaver Dam, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $393/month in Columbus, OH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,289 in Columbus, OH

Regional cost estimates: Beaver Dam, WI uses Madison, WI. Columbus, OH uses Columbus, OH Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 8.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$393

Savings

Annual Impact

$4.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Beaver Dam, WI

Population:17K

Cost Index:

97.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$279K

Columbus, OH

Population:906K

Cost Index:

90.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$263K

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Beaver Dam, WI

The Badger State

17K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 17K residents.

Columbus, OH

The Buckeye State

906K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 906K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Beaver Dam, WI vs Columbus, OH

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Beaver Dam, WI	Columbus, OH	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,341/mo	$2,080/mo	↓ $262less	11.2%
Other	$1,692/mo	$1,577/mo	↓ $115less	6.8%
Healthcare	$703/mo	$615/mo	↓ $87.91less	12.5%
Transportation	$1,329/mo	$1,384/mo	↑ $54.89more	4.1%
Groceries	$938/mo	$982/mo	↑ $43.56more	4.6%
All Utilities	$497/mo	$470/mo	↓ $26.57less	5.3%

Housing

↓ 11.2%

Beaver Dam, WI

$2,341

Columbus, OH

$2,080

Difference

$262

less

Other

↓ 6.8%

Beaver Dam, WI

$1,692

Columbus, OH

$1,577

Difference

$115

less

Healthcare

↓ 12.5%

Beaver Dam, WI

$703

Columbus, OH

$615

Difference

$87.91

less

Transportation

↑ 4.1%

Beaver Dam, WI

$1,329

Columbus, OH

$1,384

Difference

$54.89

Groceries

↑ 4.6%

Beaver Dam, WI

$938

Columbus, OH

$982

Difference

$43.56

All Utilities

↓ 5.3%

Beaver Dam, WI

$497

Columbus, OH

$470

Difference

$26.57

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Columbus, OH: Columbus Municipal Income Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

Beaver Dam, WI has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$770

To$1,020

↑ $250

1 Bed

From$900

To$1,100

↑ $200

2 Bed

From$1,110

To$1,315

↑ $205

3 Bed

From$1,490

To$1,575

↑ $85.00

Beaver Dam, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $900–$900/mo

Columbus, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $870–$1,790/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Beaver Dam, WI

$7,107

Monthly in Columbus, OH

$393

Difference

Home Values

Beaver Dam

Columbus

$279K

Median Value

$263K

↑ +6.9%

YoY Change

↓ -0.4%

↑ +44.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +28.8%

$279K

Price Range

$95K - $406K

Homes in Columbus are 6% less expensive than Beaver Dam

Calculate payment - Beaver Dam Calculate payment - Columbus

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$369

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.9%

Rate difference

Beaver Dam, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Columbus, OH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Ohio State Tax

Effective: 3.0%

$4.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.6%

$41.4K

Take-Home Pay

$9,047/month

$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

Beaver Dam, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Columbus, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:1.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Beaver Dam, WI: No data yet

Columbus, OH

29/100

15.8% sidewalk tags · 3.6% cycling tags

Environment

Beaver Dam

Columbus

42 Good

Air Quality

53 Moderate

72.1%

Good Air Days

41.3%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

10 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Beaver Dam, WI to Columbus, OH

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Columbus, OH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Beaver Dam, WI. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Beaver Dam to Columbus moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Columbus, OH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Beaver Dam, WI vs Columbus, OH

How do the cost estimates for Beaver Dam, WI and Columbus, OH compare?

Columbus, OH has a modeled overall cost index 8.1% lower than Beaver Dam, WI. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Beaver Dam, WI, the model estimates $145,289 in Columbus, OH. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Beaver Dam, WI and Columbus, OH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,110/month in Beaver Dam, WI and $1,315/month in Columbus, OH. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Wisconsin and Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com