Cost of Living: Milwaukee, WI vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,207/mo in Milwaukee, WI versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 15.05% of gross in Milwaukee, WI versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Milwaukee, WI tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Milwaukee, WI
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Milwaukee, WI
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Chicago, IL
Cost of Living Index
Milwaukee, WI: 88.2 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Milwaukee, WI has a lower cost-of-living index than Chicago, IL, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Milwaukee, WI: $982/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $341/mo higher than in Milwaukee, WI.
Median Home Price
Milwaukee, WI: $172,000 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Milwaukee, WI is $24,200 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Milwaukee, WI: $51,888 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Chicago, IL has a higher median household income than Milwaukee, WI by $4,927.
Milwaukee, WI overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons