Kenosha vs Raleigh
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Kenosha
Raleigh
💡 The Verdict
Kenosha is 13% cheaper than Raleigh overall. A $75,000 salary in Kenosha is equivalent to $85,955 in Raleigh.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Kenosha (left) vs Raleigh (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Kenosha versus Raleigh. Differences shown from Kenosha perspective.
| Item | Kenosha | Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $900/mo | $1,010/mo | $-110.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,270/mo | $1,500/mo | $-230.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,630/mo | $1,950/mo | $-320.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.48 | $2.89 | $-0.41 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.50 | $3.88 | $-0.38 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.96 | $3.31 | $-0.35 |
| Coffee (latte) | $4.88 | $5.93 | $-1.05 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.00 | $3.37 | $-0.37 |
| Restaurant Meal | $14.61 | $18.36 | $-3.75 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Kenosha has the same purchasing power as $85,955 in Raleigh.
Conversely, $75,000 in Raleigh equals $65,441 in Kenosha.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $525 difference is driven by Wisconsin having a higher state income tax rate. Wisconsin details → · North Carolina details →
Reading These Numbers: Kenosha (89) vs Raleigh (102)
Kenosha at 89 is 11% below the US average, while Raleigh at 102 is 2% 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 $1,500/mo in Raleigh, the annual rent difference is approximately $2,760.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $13,800.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $71,000.0 difference in median home prices between Kenosha and Raleigh 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 Raleigh
Choosing between Kenosha and Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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.