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 | Madison | New York | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,291/mo | $1,714/mo | 24.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $326,600 | $732,100 | 55.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $74,895 | $76,607 | 2.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.9 | 103.2 | 0.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 90.5 | 147.4 | 38.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.9 | 100.7 | 5.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 96.3 | 99.9 | 3.7% lower 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 Madison, you'd need $120,935 in New York to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Madison, WI is about 17.3% cheaper overall than New York, NY, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Madison than in New York. If you earn $80,000 in Madison, you'd need about $96,748 in New York to keep the same standard of living.