Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Milwaukee, WI has a modeled overall cost index 15.8% lower than Chicago, IL.

Chicago, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,925 / month
Milwaukee, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,235 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Chicago, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,322/month in Milwaukee, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $134,136 in Milwaukee, WI

Regional cost estimates: Chicago, IL uses Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Area. Milwaukee, WI uses Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 15.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,322

Savings

Annual Impact

$15.9K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Chicago, IL

Population:2746K

Cost Index:

108.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$305K

Milwaukee, WI

Population:577K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$219K

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Chicago, IL

The Prairie State

2.7M

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Continental

Notable Facts

•Major transportation hub
•Architectural landmark city
•Great Lakes location

Major Industries

FinanceTechnologyManufacturingTransportation

Milwaukee, WI

The Badger State

577K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 577K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Chicago, IL	Milwaukee, WI	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,660/mo	$1,668/mo	↓ $992less	37.3%
Transportation	$1,457/mo	$1,220/mo	↓ $237less	16.3%
Other	$1,524/mo	$1,394/mo	↓ $131less	8.6%
Healthcare	$516/mo	$623/mo	↑ $107more	20.8%
Groceries	$893/mo	$832/mo	↓ $60.67less	6.8%
All Utilities	$450/mo	$441/mo	↓ $9.48less	2.1%

Housing

↓ 37.3%

Chicago, IL

$2,660

Milwaukee, WI

$1,668

Difference

$992

less

Transportation

↓ 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$1,457

Milwaukee, WI

$1,220

Difference

$237

less

Other

↓ 8.6%

Chicago, IL

$1,524

Milwaukee, WI

$1,394

Difference

$131

less

Healthcare

↑ 20.8%

Chicago, IL

$516

Milwaukee, WI

$623

Difference

$107

Groceries

↓ 6.8%

Chicago, IL

$893

Milwaukee, WI

$832

Difference

$60.67

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$450

Milwaukee, WI

$441

Difference

$9.48

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,600

To$945

↓ $655

1 Bed

From$1,710

To$1,035

↓ $675

2 Bed

From$1,925

To$1,235

↓ $690

3 Bed

From$2,480

To$1,520

↓ $960

Chicago, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,140–$2,370/mo

Milwaukee, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,680/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Chicago, IL

$6,178

Monthly in Milwaukee, WI

$1,322

Difference

Home Values

Chicago

Milwaukee

$305K

Median Value

$219K

↑ +1.8%

YoY Change

↑ +3.9%

↑ +10.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.6%

$116K - $611K

Price Range

$85K - $529K

Homes in Milwaukee are 28% less expensive than Chicago

Calculate payment - Chicago Calculate payment - Milwaukee

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.4K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$119

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.9%

Rate difference

Chicago, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Milwaukee, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Chicago, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Milwaukee, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Chicago, IL

43/100

0.7% sidewalk tags · 3.1% cycling tags

Milwaukee, WI

33/100

1.2% sidewalk tags · 7% cycling tags

Environment

Chicago

Milwaukee

54 Moderate

Air Quality

43 Good

35.8%

Good Air Days

68.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

13 days

Before moving from Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Milwaukee, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Chicago, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Chicago to Milwaukee moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Milwaukee, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI

How do the cost estimates for Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI compare?

Milwaukee, WI has a modeled overall cost index 15.8% lower than Chicago, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Chicago, IL, the model estimates $134,136 in Milwaukee, WI. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,925/month in Chicago, IL and $1,235/month in Milwaukee, WI. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com