

Appleton vs Oshkosh
$473/mo less in Oshkosh
AppletonOshkoshAbout 20 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Oshkosh costs you more
- Property tax 1.71%
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,631/mo in Oshkosh. $3,104/mo in Appleton. −$5,676 a year.
Appleton
$3,104
left each month
Oshkosh
$2,631
−$473 vs Appleton
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 1,681 households moved Appleton → Oshkosh (avg AGI $61,146). 1,666 went the other way. The whole move →
−$473 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Appleton | Oshkosh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,917 | $7,293 | −$624 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,977 | $1,758 | −$218 |
| Take-home pay | $5,940 | $5,534 | −$406 |
| Rent | $916 | $988 | +$72 |
| Getting around | $551 | $547 | −$4 |
| Groceries | $378 | $378 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $425 | $425 | $0 |
| Utilities | $236 | $236 | $0 |
| Everything else | $330 | $330 | $0 |
| Left over | $3,104 | $2,631 | −$473 |
Salary to match Appleton
$96,000
Gross pay in Oshkosh that leaves the same amount as $95,000 in Appleton.
Tax difference
+$397
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.0% in Appleton, 24.1% in Oshkosh.
More about Oshkosh
Appleton, WI in full
State income tax topping out at 7.65%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,090 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
Oshkosh, WI in full
State income tax topping out at 7.65%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,176 and 191 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
The other way
Start in Oshkosh.
Oshkosh → Appleton →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Oshkosh than Appleton?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Oshkosh leaves about $473 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $916 in Appleton and $988 in Oshkosh.
Does Oshkosh have state income tax?
Oshkosh is in Wisconsin, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Appleton to Oshkosh?
The paycheck is taxed in Wisconsin. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Appleton and Oshkosh changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.