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 | Austin | Milwaukee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549/mo | $982/mo | 57.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $461,500 | $157,800 | 192.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $86,556 | $49,733 | 74.0% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.2 | 99.5 | 4.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.6 | 85.5 | 20.0% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 87.1 | 5.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 110.4 | 85.9 | 28.5% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Austin, you'd need $77,426 in Milwaukee to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Milwaukee, WI is about 22.6% cheaper overall than Austin, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 37% lower in Milwaukee than in Austin. If you earn $80,000 in Austin, you'd need about $61,941 in Milwaukee to keep the same standard of living.