Oshkosh, WI vs Columbus, IN: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Columbus, IN and Oshkosh, WI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Oshkosh works out to about $75,100 in Columbus, before taxes.
- Housing is 1.4% higher in Columbus, goods 0.6% higher and other services 0.3% lower, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,380 a month in Columbus and $1,278 in Oshkosh, $1,224 a year more in Columbus (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $274,000 in Columbus and $304,000 in Oshkosh.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.4%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Oshkosh and Columbus
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.9 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 74.4 | 75.5 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 86.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.1 |
| Category | Oshkosh | Columbus | Columbus vs Oshkosh |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.9 | 93.0 | +0.1% |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.3 | +0.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 74.4 | 75.5 | +1.4% |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 86.6 | −4.5% |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.1 | −0.3% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,278 | $1,380 | +8.0% |
| Typical home value | $304,000 | $274,000 | −10.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Oshkosh | $75,000 | $75,100 | +0.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Oshkosh and Columbus has narrowed since 2008: 13.1 points then, 0.1 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.1 | 84.0 |
| 2009 | 94.6 | 86.1 |
| 2010 | 95.1 | 90.5 |
| 2011 | 94.2 | 89.0 |
| 2012 | 94.4 | 90.4 |
| 2013 | 95.1 | 88.7 |
| 2014 | 93.2 | 90.3 |
| 2015 | 93.0 | 87.6 |
| 2016 | 93.0 | 87.9 |
| 2017 | 92.0 | 87.3 |
| 2018 | 92.4 | 94.0 |
| 2019 | 92.5 | 93.8 |
| 2020 | 92.6 | 91.4 |
| 2021 | 92.5 | 91.8 |
| 2022 | 91.3 | 90.3 |
| 2023 | 90.8 | 90.2 |
| 2024 | 92.9 | 93.0 |
Goods
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.0 | 77.2 |
| 2009 | 97.9 | 84.6 |
| 2010 | 96.7 | 93.1 |
| 2011 | 95.9 | 93.4 |
| 2012 | 97.1 | 95.2 |
| 2013 | 97.0 | 94.7 |
| 2014 | 98.7 | 95.9 |
| 2015 | 98.4 | 96.1 |
| 2016 | 97.6 | 94.6 |
| 2017 | 95.5 | 94.0 |
| 2018 | 97.8 | 97.4 |
| 2019 | 96.4 | 95.7 |
| 2020 | 94.2 | 94.0 |
| 2021 | 94.7 | 94.7 |
| 2022 | 92.0 | 93.1 |
| 2023 | 93.8 | 94.8 |
| 2024 | 93.8 | 94.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 83.9 | 77.4 |
| 2009 | 73.8 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 81.0 | 79.5 |
| 2011 | 81.3 | 74.8 |
| 2012 | 80.1 | 73.7 |
| 2013 | 81.8 | 70.5 |
| 2014 | 74.0 | 75.4 |
| 2015 | 76.8 | 69.0 |
| 2016 | 77.7 | 75.2 |
| 2017 | 74.8 | 73.7 |
| 2018 | 71.9 | 83.4 |
| 2019 | 68.5 | 75.8 |
| 2020 | 76.0 | 70.5 |
| 2021 | 71.8 | 70.2 |
| 2022 | 72.7 | 66.4 |
| 2023 | 65.4 | 63.1 |
| 2024 | 74.4 | 75.5 |
Utilities
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.0 | 78.3 |
| 2009 | 105.0 | 80.7 |
| 2010 | 101.7 | 81.2 |
| 2011 | 103.5 | 77.3 |
| 2012 | 100.9 | 79.1 |
| 2013 | 100.1 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 94.1 | 82.8 |
| 2015 | 91.4 | 83.3 |
| 2016 | 87.3 | 85.0 |
| 2017 | 94.4 | 86.3 |
| 2018 | 98.7 | 92.4 |
| 2019 | 93.9 | 90.8 |
| 2020 | 95.5 | 92.1 |
| 2021 | 96.2 | 92.7 |
| 2022 | 90.2 | 88.9 |
| 2023 | 88.8 | 86.3 |
| 2024 | 90.6 | 86.6 |
Other services
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.8 | 93.6 |
| 2009 | 99.4 | 94.2 |
| 2010 | 98.8 | 93.9 |
| 2011 | 96.6 | 91.4 |
| 2012 | 96.8 | 93.8 |
| 2013 | 98.1 | 92.5 |
| 2014 | 96.4 | 92.5 |
| 2015 | 94.9 | 88.9 |
| 2016 | 96.0 | 88.0 |
| 2017 | 95.1 | 87.5 |
| 2018 | 95.6 | 96.1 |
| 2019 | 98.3 | 98.4 |
| 2020 | 97.7 | 97.5 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.8 |
| 2022 | 97.6 | 97.5 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.3 |
| 2024 | 99.4 | 99.1 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,380 in Columbus vs $1,278 in Oshkosh
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $685 | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $683 | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $696 | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $718 | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $741 | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $733 | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $735 | $914 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $766 | $911 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $761 | $927 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $774 | $932 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $804 | $944 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $805 | $962 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $818 | $936 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $829 | $949 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $852 | $944 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $861 | $977 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $995 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $892 | $963 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $940 | $995 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $941 | $1,070 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $954 | $1,081 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $991 | $1,097 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,025 | $1,150 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,039 | $1,147 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,042 | $1,160 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,070 | $1,165 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,099 | $1,186 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,117 | $1,201 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,101 | $1,208 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,136 | $1,234 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,160 | $1,262 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,168 | $1,269 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,179 | $1,289 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,204 | $1,297 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,237 | $1,326 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,221 | $1,346 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,215 | $1,340 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,234 | $1,324 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,281 | $1,372 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,278 | $1,380 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $274,000 in Columbus vs $304,000 in Oshkosh
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Oshkosh, WI
- Columbus, IN
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Oshkosh, WI | Columbus, IN | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $143K | $140K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $146K | $141K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $148K | $144K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $150K | $146K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $151K | $147K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $153K | $149K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $155K | $149K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $158K | $150K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $160K | $150K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $163K | $152K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $165K | $155K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $168K | $156K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $170K | $158K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $173K | $160K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $176K | $163K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $176K | $165K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $180K | $169K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $184K | $172K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $185K | $174K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $187K | $178K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $190K | $181K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $193K | $184K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $198K | $186K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $207K | $192K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $212K | $197K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $222K | $206K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $227K | $212K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $228K | $217K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $236K | $225K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $246K | $233K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $247K | $234K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $246K | $235K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $251K | $238K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $256K | $244K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $260K | $248K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $261K | $250K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $264K | $254K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $271K | $258K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $273K | $259K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $279K | $261K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $284K | $264K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $287K | $265K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $291K | $267K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $295K | $270K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $300K | $273K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $301K | $273K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $304K | $274K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.