Moving from Milwaukee to Chicago
Your paycheck buys 7.3% less in Chicago than in Milwaukee; you'd need about $87,400 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Chicago: $87,400
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $87,400 in Chicago, IL to match $80,000 in Milwaukee, WI ($7,400 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Wisconsin and Illinois state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Milwaukee vs Chicago: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,177 → $1,469/mo
- Median home value
- $331,100 → $339,700
- Median household income
- $77,919 → $90,770
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 96.9 → 103.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (90.5 → 97.1 of 100)
Milwaukee vs Chicago cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Milwaukee, WI | Chicago, IL |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 96.9 | 103.6 |
| Median rent | $1,177 | $1,469 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $47,080 | $58,760 |
| Median home value | $331,100 | $339,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,201 | $2,453 |
| Income needed to buy | $94,316 | $105,125 |
| Median property tax | $4,240 | $6,461 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $3,240 | $3,815 |
| Metro population | 1,574,452 | 9,406,924 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Milwaukee vs Chicago
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $43,953 a year in Milwaukee and $48,895 in Chicago if you rent: $4,942 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $56,237 and $60,702 ($4,465 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | MilwaukeeBefore | ChicagoAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $18,130 | $18,705 | +$575 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,330 | $1,320 | -$10 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $922 | $1,153 | +$231 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,115 | $2,337 | +$222 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,332 | $7,752 | +$420 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $14,124 | $17,628 | +$3,504 |
| Total if you rent | $43,953 | $48,895 | +$4,942 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $21,040 | $21,587 | +$547 |
| Property tax median home | $4,240 | $6,461 | +$2,221 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,128 | $1,387 | +$259 |
| Total if you buy | $56,237 | $60,702 | +$4,465 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $17,963 a year in Milwaukee and $19,807 in Chicago (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Milwaukee to Chicago
About 1,849 households (2,449 people) moved from the Milwaukee metro area to the Chicago metro area in 2022–2023, making Chicago the #1 destination for people leaving Milwaukee among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,294 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $74,409.
Cost to move from Milwaukee to Chicago
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 100 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Milwaukee vs Chicago
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Milwaukee area among the highest (score 90.5) and the Chicago area among the highest (score 97.1), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $357 vs $443 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Chicago cheaper than Milwaukee?
Overall prices in the Chicago area are 6.9% higher than in Milwaukee (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,469 vs $1,177 a month, and the median home is $339,700 vs $331,100.
What salary do I need in Chicago to match $100,000 in Milwaukee?
About $108,500, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Wisconsin and Illinois state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Milwaukee to Chicago?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 100 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Milwaukee to Chicago?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,849 households (2,449 people) moved from the Milwaukee metro area to the Chicago metro area, and 2,294 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Milwaukee move
- Milwaukee to Madison 1,347 households
- Phoenix 721 households
- Minneapolis 565 households
- Dallas 474 households
- Denver 296 households
- Houston 288 households
- Los Angeles 223 households
- New York 222 households