Kenosha vs Portland
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Kenosha
Portland
💡 The Verdict
Kenosha is 32% cheaper than Portland overall. A $75,000 salary in Kenosha is equivalent to $109,551 in Portland.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Kenosha (left) vs Portland (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Kenosha versus Portland. Differences shown from Kenosha perspective.
| Item | Kenosha | Portland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $900/mo | $1,250/mo | $-350.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,270/mo | $1,800/mo | $-530.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,630/mo | $2,360/mo | $-730.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.48 | $2.94 | $-0.46 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.50 | $4.04 | $-0.54 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.96 | $3.41 | $-0.45 |
| Coffee (latte) | $4.88 | $5.89 | $-1.01 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.00 | $3.71 | $-0.71 |
| Restaurant Meal | $14.61 | $20.61 | $-6.00 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Kenosha has the same purchasing power as $109,551 in Portland.
Conversely, $75,000 in Portland equals $51,346 in Kenosha.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $2024 difference is driven by Oregon having a higher state income tax rate. Wisconsin details → · Oregon details →
Reading These Numbers: Kenosha (89) vs Portland (130)
Kenosha at 89 is 11% below the US average, while Portland at 130 is 30% above average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Kenosha, the composite index of 89 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 93, followed by groceries (86), utilities (76), transportation (85), and healthcare (88). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,270/mo in Kenosha and $1,800/mo in Portland, the annual rent difference is approximately $6,360.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $31,800.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $181,000.0 difference in median home prices between Kenosha and Portland translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Kenosha vs Portland
Choosing between Kenosha and Portland involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Kenosha and Portland reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.