Madison, Wisconsin
Living in Madison, Wisconsin is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 100 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,780 a month, 8% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.88 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 38% of the area's $88,108 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.88
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,780
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$12.88
Combo meal
Electricity
19.41¢
per kWh · ~$175/mo
Car Insurance
$132/mo
$1,580/yr
Median Household Income
$88,108
37.7% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,580 in Madison. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Madison residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,780/mo in Madison. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.39 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.97 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.28 estimate
$9.83 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.29 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.49 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.42 estimate
$4.39 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.95 estimate
$6.49 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.19 estimate
$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.51 estimate
$6.29 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$5.39 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.97 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.99 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate$9.83 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.69 | $5.28 | +43.1% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.29 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.49 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.54 | $5.20 | +14.5% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$4.39 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.45 | $7.42 | +36.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.12 | $4.95 | +20.1% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.70 | $6.19 | +31.7% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$6.29 @ Metro Market - Metro Shorewood Hills (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.95 | $8.51 | +43.0% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$12.88
Casual Dining
$21.85
Monthly Spend
$358.54
+4.6% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $7.99
$12.88
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $9.02
$13.91
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $9.66
$14.43
+49.4%Starbucks
2022: $4.19
$5.82
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Madison?
Average 1BR: $1,460/mo · 2BR: $2,100/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
359k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,432
$74k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$88k
household median
Employment by Sector — Madison
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$54k/yr
~$71k/yr
~$90k/yr
~$24k/yr
~$78k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 55025
Highest Paying Sector
Information
$2,732/wk · $142k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$468/wk · $24k/yr
Madison Cost of Living FAQ
Is Madison, WI expensive to live in?
Madison has a cost of living index of 100, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the most expensive of the 18 Wisconsin cities we track.
What is the average rent in Madison, WI?
Typical rent in Madison is $1,780 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 8% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,460 and two bedrooms about $2,100. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Madison?
Rent in Madison rose 2.1% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Madison?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.88 a gallon in Madison as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Wisconsin. That is 3% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Madison?
Homes in Wisconsin pay an average of 19.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Madison is about $175.
How much is car insurance in Madison?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,580 a year in Wisconsin, or about $132 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Madison?
Median household income in the Madison area is $88,108 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $33,209 a year, or 38% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,846 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Madison compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
Rent in Madison is 36% above the $1,309 average across the 18 Wisconsin cities we track, and its cost of living index of 100 compares with a state average of 95.
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