Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Appleton, WI and Decatur, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, IL: $1,725 a month against $2,114 in Appleton, WI, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Appleton, WI outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

103

Cost of Living Index in Appleton, WI
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Appleton, WI Living Index
84

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, IL
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Decatur, IL Living Index

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Appleton, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,114

/mo nomad

Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,725

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Appleton, WI and in Decatur, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Appleton, WI and in Decatur, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,114 per month in Appleton, WI vs $1,725 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $2,114
Decatur, IL $1,725

A couple spends around $3,257 per month in Appleton, WI vs $2,654 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $3,257
Decatur, IL $2,654

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Appleton, WI vs $3,582 in Decatur, IL, rent included.

Appleton, WI $4,400
Decatur, IL $3,582

Appleton, WI costs about 23% more than Decatur, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Appleton, WI and Decatur, IL sit above the global median – Appleton, WI by 57%, Decatur, IL by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.17 $18.17

$19.96 $19.96

-8.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$83.4 $83.4

-21.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$8.74 $8.74

27.00%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.41 $5.41

-0.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.24 $2.24

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.66 $1.66

39.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 $4.61

$5.02 $5.02

-8.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.12 $6.12

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.34 $1.34

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.03 $2.03

152.71%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$4.74 $4.74

-4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$13.87 $13.87

2.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$14.86 $14.86

-43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$13.08 $13.08

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.31 $4.31

12.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.02 $2.02

-34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$4.03 $4.03

-22.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.27 $3.27

33.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.91 $0.91

134.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.09 $1.09

141.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.48 $1.48

49.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.07 $3.07

2.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.94 $10.94

$15.87 $15.87

-31.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$14.81 $14.81

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.20 $2.20

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.99 $1.99

67.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.17 $3.17

1.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.42 $1.42

-2.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$25.28 $25.28

-3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.16 $1.16

-15.52%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.4K $35.4K

$37.0K $37.0K

-4.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.5K $25.5K

-0.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$174 $174

$85.6 $85.6

103.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.20 $44.20

$67.2 $67.2

-34.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$60.2 $60.2

2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.46 $23.46

$74.7 $74.7

-68.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.62 $39.62

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 $14.55

$11.82 $11.82

23.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$1,525 $1,525

-1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$32.0K $32.0K

-1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.23 $39.23

$68.1 $68.1

-42.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.89 $24.89

$51.5 $51.5

-51.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.0 $50.0

$101 $101

-50.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$144 $144

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$867 $867

75.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 $992

$551 $551

79.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$993 $993

81.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$805 $805

135.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 $2,257

$940 $940

140.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,278 $2,278

$941 $941

142.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,999 $3,999

$4,599 $4,599

-13.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.77

-5.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Appleton, WI: October 11, 2026

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Appleton, WI

$992 46.9%

Decatur, IL

$551 31.9% 44.4% $440

Groceries & Markets

Appleton, WI

$380 18%

Decatur, IL

$385 22.3% 1.1% $4.4

Eating Out

Appleton, WI

$298 14.1%

Decatur, IL

$304 17.6% 2% $5.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Appleton, WI

$280 13.3%

Decatur, IL

$213 12.3% 23.9% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Appleton, WI

$101 4.8%

Decatur, IL

$164 9.5% 62.3% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Appleton, WI

$53 2.5%

Decatur, IL

$98 5.7% 87.1% $46

Getting Around

Appleton, WI

$10 * 0.5%

Decatur, IL

$10 * 0.6% 1.1% $0.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,524 in Appleton, WI versus $867 in Decatur, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Decatur, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Appleton, WI versus $83.0 in Decatur, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $385 – making Appleton, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Appleton, WI

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

Same time as Appleton, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,139

77,047

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Appleton, WI Decatur, IL 490 km

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Appleton, WI
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Appleton, WI vs Decatur, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Appleton, WI costs about 23% more than Decatur, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,170 per month in Appleton, WI and $2,588 in Decatur, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Decatur, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Appleton, WI and $83.0 in Decatur, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Appleton, WI – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Decatur, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,725, than in Appleton, WI at $2,114. In Decatur, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Appleton, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Decatur, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Decatur, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Appleton, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.