Milwaukee, WI vs Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Des Moines, IA has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Milwaukee, WI.

Milwaukee, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,235 / month
Des Moines, IA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,260 / 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 Milwaukee, WI and Des Moines, IA 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 Milwaukee, WI

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $140/month in Des Moines, IA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,315 in Des Moines, IA

Regional cost estimates: Milwaukee, WI uses Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Area. Des Moines, IA uses Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$140

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.7K

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.

Milwaukee, WI

Population:577K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$219K

Des Moines, IA

Population:214K

Cost Index:

90.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$228K

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Milwaukee, WI

The Badger State

577K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Des Moines, IA

The Hawkeye State

214K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Iowa, this city has a population of 214K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Milwaukee, WI vs Des Moines, IA

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	Milwaukee, WI	Des Moines, IA	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,481/mo	$1,309/mo	↓ $173less	11.7%
Housing	$2,025/mo	$2,189/mo	↑ $164more	8.1%
Groceries	$1,010/mo	$957/mo	↓ $52.61less	5.2%
All Utilities	$535/mo	$495/mo	↓ $40.27less	7.5%
Healthcare	$757/mo	$718/mo	↓ $39.14less	5.2%
Other	$1,692/mo	$1,692/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Transportation

↓ 11.7%

Milwaukee, WI

$1,481

Des Moines, IA

$1,309

Difference

$173

less

Housing

↑ 8.1%

Milwaukee, WI

$2,025

Des Moines, IA

$2,189

Difference

$164

Groceries

↓ 5.2%

Milwaukee, WI

$1,010

Des Moines, IA

$957

Difference

$52.61

less

All Utilities

↓ 7.5%

Milwaukee, WI

$535

Des Moines, IA

$495

Difference

$40.27

less

Healthcare

↓ 5.2%

Milwaukee, WI

$757

Des Moines, IA

$718

Difference

$39.14

less

Other

→ 0.0%

Milwaukee, WI

$1,692

Des Moines, IA

$1,692

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$945

To$1,020

↑ $75.00

1 Bed

From$1,035

To$1,060

↑ $25.00

2 Bed

From$1,235

To$1,260

↑ $25.00

3 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,720

↑ $200

Milwaukee, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,680/mo

Des Moines, IAZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,150/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 Milwaukee, WI

$7,360

Monthly in Des Moines, IA

$140

Difference

Home Values

Milwaukee

Des Moines

$219K

Median Value

$228K

↑ +3.9%

YoY Change

↑ +1.2%

↑ +44.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +32.4%

$85K - $529K

Price Range

$157K - $344K

Homes in Des Moines are 4% more expensive than Milwaukee

Calculate payment - Milwaukee Calculate payment - Des Moines

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.9K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$154

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.2%

Rate difference

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

Des Moines, IA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Iowa State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.7K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.7K

Take-Home Pay

$8,524/month

$102.3K

Additional Tax Information

Milwaukee, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

Des Moines, IA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:1.5%

💡 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

Milwaukee, WI

33/100

1.2% sidewalk tags · 7% cycling tags

Des Moines, IA: No data yet

Environment

Milwaukee

Des Moines

43 Good

Air Quality

45 Good

68.6%

Good Air Days

67.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌡☀🌪

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

13 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

13 days

Heat Days >95°F

25 days

Before moving from Milwaukee, WI to Des Moines, IA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Des Moines, IA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Milwaukee, WI. 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 Milwaukee to Des Moines moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Des Moines, IA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Milwaukee, WI vs Des Moines, IA

How do the cost estimates for Milwaukee, WI and Des Moines, IA compare?

Des Moines, IA has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Milwaukee, WI. 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 Milwaukee, WI, the model estimates $148,315 in Des Moines, IA. 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 Milwaukee, WI and Des Moines, IA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,235/month in Milwaukee, WI and $1,260/month in Des Moines, IA. 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 Wisconsin and Iowa on TaxTakeHome.com