Cost of Living in Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee, WI scores 95 on the cost-of-living index — about 5% cheaper than the US average of 100, and #52 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Milwaukee vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Milwaukee to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Milwaukee, WI, you would need about $196,842 in New York City, NY — roughly 96.8% more.
| Category | Milwaukee | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 95 | 187 | +97% |
| Housing | 89 | 287 | +222% |
| Groceries | 98 | 137 | +40% |
| Utilities | 97 | 130 | +34% |
| Transportation | 98 | 120 | +22% |
| Healthcare | 98 | 128 | +31% |
Milwaukee cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | −5% |
| Housing | 89 | −11% |
| Groceries | 98 | −2% |
| Utilities | 97 | −3% |
| Transportation | 98 | −2% |
| Healthcare | 98 | −2% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Milwaukee expensive to live in?
Milwaukee, WI has a cost-of-living index of 95, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 5% cheaper than a typical US city, and ranks it #52 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 89.
What is the cost-of-living index for Milwaukee?
The overall index is 95 (US average = 100). By category: housing 89, groceries 98, utilities 97, transportation 98 and healthcare 98. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Milwaukee?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Milwaukee to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Milwaukee cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Milwaukee?
In Milwaukee, housing is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 89), while groceries is the priciest (index 98).