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 | Eau Claire | Madison | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $929/mo | $1,291/mo | 28.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $209,200 | $326,600 | 35.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $63,882 | $74,895 | 14.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 94.5 | 94.5 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.2 | 90.4 | 0.9% higher 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 Eau Claire, you'd need $113,318 in Madison to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Eau Claire, WI is about 11.8% cheaper overall than Madison, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 27% lower in Eau Claire than in Madison. If you earn $80,000 in Eau Claire, you'd need about $90,654 in Madison to keep the same standard of living.