Forest Lake, MN vs Pleasant Prairie, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Pleasant Prairie, WI has a modeled overall cost index 13.5% lower than Forest Lake, MN.

Forest Lake, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,680 / month
Pleasant Prairie, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,730 / 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 Forest Lake, MN and Pleasant Prairie, WI 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 Forest Lake, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $866/month in Pleasant Prairie, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $139,610 in Pleasant Prairie, WI

Regional cost estimates: Forest Lake, MN uses Saint Paul, MN. Pleasant Prairie, WI uses Milwaukee, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 13.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$866

Savings

Annual Impact

$10.4K

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.

Forest Lake, MN

Population:21K

Cost Index:

98.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$418K

Pleasant Prairie, WI

Population:22K

Cost Index:

85.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$433K

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Forest Lake, MN

The North Star State

21K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 21K residents.

Pleasant Prairie, WI

The Badger State

22K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 22K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Forest Lake, MN vs Pleasant Prairie, WI

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	Forest Lake, MN	Pleasant Prairie, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,309/mo	$1,640/mo	↓ $669less	29.0%
Other	$1,637/mo	$1,523/mo	↓ $114less	7.0%
Groceries	$1,007/mo	$938/mo	↓ $69.25less	6.9%
Healthcare	$740/mo	$703/mo	↓ $36.98less	5.0%
Transportation	$1,310/mo	$1,333/mo	↑ $23.64more	1.8%
All Utilities	$497/mo	$497/mo	↓ $0.43less	0.1%

Housing

↓ 29.0%

Forest Lake, MN

$2,309

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$1,640

Difference

$669

less

Other

↓ 7.0%

Forest Lake, MN

$1,637

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$1,523

Difference

$114

less

Groceries

↓ 6.9%

Forest Lake, MN

$1,007

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$938

Difference

$69.25

less

Healthcare

↓ 5.0%

Forest Lake, MN

$740

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$703

Difference

$36.98

less

Transportation

↑ 1.8%

Forest Lake, MN

$1,310

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$1,333

Difference

$23.64

All Utilities

↓ 0.1%

Forest Lake, MN

$497

Pleasant Prairie, WI

$497

Difference

$0.43

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,220

To$1,340

↑ $120

1 Bed

From$1,380

To$1,350

↓ $30.00

2 Bed

From$1,680

To$1,730

↑ $50.00

3 Bed

From$2,220

To$2,340

↑ $120

Forest Lake, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,380–$1,380/mo

Pleasant Prairie, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,350–$1,350/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 Forest Lake, MN

$6,634

Monthly in Pleasant Prairie, WI

$866

Difference

Home Values

Forest Lake

Pleasant Prairie

$418K

Median Value

$433K

↑ +1.9%

YoY Change

↑ +7.8%

↑ +24.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.7%

Homes in Pleasant Prairie are 4% more expensive than Forest Lake

Calculate payment - Forest Lake Calculate payment - Pleasant Prairie

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$132

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.1%

Rate difference

Forest Lake, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Pleasant Prairie, 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

Additional Tax Information

Forest Lake, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Pleasant Prairie, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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.

Environment

Forest Lake

Pleasant Prairie

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

68.6%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Forest Lake, MN to Pleasant Prairie, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Pleasant Prairie, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Forest Lake, MN. 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 Forest Lake to Pleasant Prairie moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Pleasant Prairie, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Forest Lake, MN vs Pleasant Prairie, WI

How do the cost estimates for Forest Lake, MN and Pleasant Prairie, WI compare?

Pleasant Prairie, WI has a modeled overall cost index 13.5% lower than Forest Lake, MN. 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 Forest Lake, MN, the model estimates $139,610 in Pleasant Prairie, WI. 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 Forest Lake, MN and Pleasant Prairie, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,680/month in Forest Lake, MN and $1,730/month in Pleasant Prairie, WI. 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 Minnesota and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com