City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 6.9% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $106,900 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $886 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI ($118,984 → $111,310), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,573 in Milwaukee | $106,868 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$886/yr.
90 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$886/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Chicago → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $64,548 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $78,098 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $93,606 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $111,310 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $131,535 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,480 | $65,703 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $123,730 | $132,228 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $80,290 | $85,805 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $97,360 | $104,047 (+3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.