

La Crosse vs Rochester
$385/mo more in Rochester
La CrosseRochesterAbout 63 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Rochester leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $3,022/mo in Rochester. $2,637/mo in La Crosse. +$4,620 a year.
La Crosse
$2,637
left each month
Rochester
$3,022
+$385 vs La Crosse
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 89 households moved La Crosse → Rochester (avg AGI $74,169). 92 went the other way. The whole move →
+$385 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | La Crosse | Rochester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,125 | $8,290 | +$1,165 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,700 | $2,201 | +$501 |
| Take-home pay | $5,425 | $6,089 | +$664 |
| Rent | $894 | $1,330 | +$436 |
| Getting around | $525 | $461 | −$64 |
| Groceries | $378 | $352 | −$26 |
| Healthcare | $425 | $396 | −$29 |
| Utilities | $236 | $220 | −$16 |
| Everything else | $330 | $308 | −$22 |
| Left over | $2,637 | $3,022 | +$385 |
Salary to match La Crosse
$92,000
Gross pay in Rochester that leaves the same amount as $85,500 in La Crosse.
Tax difference
−$1,868
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.9% in La Crosse, 26.5% in Rochester.
More about Rochester
La Crosse, WI in full
State income tax topping out at 7.65%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,064 and 192 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
Rochester, MN in full
State income tax topping out at 9.85%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,583 and 195 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
The other way
Start in Rochester.
Rochester → La Crosse →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Rochester than La Crosse?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Rochester leaves about $385 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $894 in La Crosse and $1,330 in Rochester.
Does Rochester have state income tax?
Rochester is in Minnesota, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from La Crosse to Rochester?
The paycheck is taxed in Minnesota. 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 La Crosse and Rochester 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.