Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin is about 5% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 95 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,234 a month, 36% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.88 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 36% of the area's $72,893 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.88
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,234
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.49
Combo meal
Electricity
19.41¢
per kWh · ~$175/mo
Car Insurance
$106/mo
$1,268/yr
Median Household Income
$72,893
36.1% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,268 in Beaver Dam. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,234/mo in Beaver Dam. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$2.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$5.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$3.69 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.25 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
$9.83 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$4.39 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$4.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$4.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$2.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$5.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$5.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$5.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$3.69 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.25 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate$9.83 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.49 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$4.39 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$4.29 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Pick n Save - PNS Columbus (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.49
Casual Dining
$24.93
Monthly Spend
$441.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Beaver Dam?
Average 1BR: $1,012/mo · 2BR: $1,456/mo
Beaver Dam Cost of Living FAQ
Is Beaver Dam, WI expensive to live in?
Beaver Dam has a cost of living index of 95, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 5% cheaper than average. It is the 6th most expensive of the 18 Wisconsin cities we track.
What is the average rent in Beaver Dam, WI?
Typical rent in Beaver Dam is $1,234 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 36% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,012 and two bedrooms about $1,456. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Beaver Dam?
Rent in Beaver Dam rose 8.2% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Beaver Dam?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.88 a gallon in Beaver Dam as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Wisconsin. That is 3% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Beaver Dam?
Homes in Wisconsin pay an average of 19.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Beaver Dam is about $175.
How much is car insurance in Beaver Dam?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,268 a year in Wisconsin, or about $106 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Beaver Dam?
Median household income in the Beaver Dam area is $72,893 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $26,345 a year, or 36% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Beaver Dam compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
Rent in Beaver Dam is 6% below the $1,309 average across the 18 Wisconsin cities we track, and its cost of living index of 95 compares with a state average of 95.
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