Route comparison
Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Chicago, IL
IL
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 105.7
- Housing RPP
- 110.9
- Goods RPP
- 106.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,714/mo
Illinois flat income tax 4.95%. Chicago city tax adds ~2.25% effective burden.
Milwaukee, WI
WI
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 94.9
- Housing RPP
- 95.7
- Goods RPP
- 91.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,170/mo
Wisconsin income tax 3.54%-7.65%.
Equivalent salary
Milwaukee, WI is cheaper than Chicago, IL by about 10.2% (RPP 105.7 to 94.9).
$60,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $53,869
in Milwaukee, WI
$100,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $89,782
in Milwaukee, WI
$150,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $134,674
in Milwaukee, WI
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Chicago, IL
- Net people
- −73,936
- Net rank
- #63 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Maricopa County, AZ.
Milwaukee, WI
- Net people
- −6,427
- Net rank
- #45 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Racine County, WI. Largest destination: Racine County, WI.
Rent delta: Milwaukee, WI is $544/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Chicago, IL. Housing RPP moves from 110.9 to 95.7.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Milwaukee, WI cheaper or more expensive than Chicago, IL?
- Milwaukee, WI (RPP 94.9) is cheaper than Chicago, IL (RPP 105.7) by about 10.2%.
- What salary do I need in Milwaukee, WI if I earn $100,000 in Chicago, IL?
- You would need approximately $89,782 in Milwaukee, WI to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Chicago, IL. Formula: $100,000 x (94.9 / 105.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Chicago, IL or Milwaukee, WI?
- For 2021-2022, Chicago, IL had a net loss of 73,936 people, while Milwaukee, WI had a net loss of 6,427 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.