Can A Chef Afford Rent in Bellevue, WI?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 19.6% of gross income.

Bellevue rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Wisconsin state estimate).

Bellevue median rent
$993/mo
Chef salary (Wisconsin)
$60,943/yr
Rent as % of income
19.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,079, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,524/mo in rent. Bellevue's median rent of $993 leaves roughly $531/mo of headroom under that threshold. A chef works roughly 33.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a chef salary

Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Wisconsin cities have lower median rent than Bellevue, which improves the affordability math on a chef salary:

Neenah, WI
$992/mo (19.5% of income)
Tomah, WI
$990/mo (19.5% of income)
Neenah, WI
$989/mo (19.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Bellevue

View full rent data for Bellevue, WI

Frequently asked questions

Can a chef afford rent in Bellevue, WI?

Median rent in Bellevue is $993 a month. A typical chef in Wisconsin earns about $60,943 a year, which makes that rent 19.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a chef afford in Bellevue?

Using the 30% rule, a chef salary in Wisconsin (~$60,943/yr) supports up to $1,524 a month in rent. Bellevue's current median rent is $993/mo, which leaves a $531/mo buffer.

How many hours does a chef work to cover rent in Bellevue?

At an hourly equivalent of about $29 an hour, a chef in Wisconsin works roughly 33.9 hours a month to cover Bellevue's median rent of $993.

Where is rent cheaper than Bellevue for a chef?

Nearby Wisconsin cities with lower median rent include Neenah ($992/mo), Tomah ($990/mo), Neenah ($989/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a chef salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Wisconsin state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Bellevue, WI. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.