States › Wisconsin › Columbus

Is Columbus, WI expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 14 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$96745% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$81,348about $6,779/month · 7% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$230,60031% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 90% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $38,680 a year. That is $19 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Wisconsin cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Wisconsin. It is number 19 of 156 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Columbus
$967
Prairie du Chien
$879
Berlin
$920
North Fond du Lac
$1,355
Lake Wisconsin
$1,675
Rothschild
$1,073
West Salem
$1,505

How much do households earn in Columbus?

Under $25k
7.4%
$25k–50k
23.1%
$50k–100k
41.2%
$100k–150k
19.8%
$150k+
6.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 26.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Columbus

SizeColumbusU.S. average
1 bedroom$869$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,005$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,002$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Columbus overall?

Everyday prices in Wisconsin overall are 6% below the U.S. average (index 94.1, U.S. = 100).

Housing
79
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
90
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Columbus, so the Wisconsin figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Columbus

🏛️ Property tax$3,774a year · 1.64% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$110a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Columbus

Commute to work24.4 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27.6%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home63.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Columbus?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $633 a month less.

Renting
$967
Owning
$1,600

Owning assumes a typical $230,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $23,060 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Columbus, WI?

Renting in Columbus costs a median of about $967 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Wisconsin median is $1,305.

How much do I need to make to live in Columbus?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $38,680 a year, or $19 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Columbus cheap or expensive?

Columbus is rated Cheap: rent takes 14.3% of the typical household income of $81,348. It ranks 19th cheapest of 156 Wisconsin cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Columbus?

The median homeowner in Columbus pays $3,774 a year in property taxes, about 1.64% of the median home value.

Is Columbus more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Wisconsin are 6% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Columbus?

The median home value in Columbus is $230,600, about 2.8 times the typical yearly household income.

5,488 people live in Columbus. Numbers are typical (middle) values.