City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Appleton | Milwaukee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $913/mo | $982/mo | 7.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $192,200 | $157,800 | 21.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $75,469 | $49,733 | 51.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 94.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.9 | 91.6 | 0.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.3 | 99.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Appleton, you'd need $109,975 in Milwaukee to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Appleton, WI is about 9.1% cheaper overall than Milwaukee, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 22% lower in Appleton than in Milwaukee. If you earn $80,000 in Appleton, you'd need about $87,980 in Milwaukee to keep the same standard of living.