CostIndexUSA

Milwaukee, WI vs Tucson, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Milwaukee
96.9
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
AZ
Tucson
96.9
overall index
$1,475/mo rent

Milwaukee and Tucson have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing5.5%
Milwaukee
97.1
Tucson
91.8
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
Milwaukee
93.8
Tucson
96.2
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Milwaukee
104.4
Tucson
104.8
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Milwaukee
94.4
Tucson
94.8
Utilities2.3%
Milwaukee
91.6
Tucson
89.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Milwaukee to see what you'd need to earn in Tucson to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Tucson, AZ
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (96.9 ÷ 96.9) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Home Price
$363,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
97.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.9×

Tucson, AZ

Median Home Price
$338,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,475
Housing Index
91.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.1×

Milwaukee has 5.5% lower housing costs compared to Tucson.

Income & Job Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Household Income
$77,000
Per Capita Income
$43,900
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
577,222
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceEducationRetail

Tucson, AZ

Median Household Income
$69,800
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
542,629
Top Industries
MilitaryEducationHealthcareTourismManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Milwaukee, WI
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Tucson, AZ
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.