Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is about 12% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 88 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,549 a month, 20% 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 49% of the area's $62,118 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.88
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,549
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$10.67
Combo meal
Electricity
19.41¢
per kWh · ~$175/mo
Car Insurance
$132/mo
$1,580/yr
Median Household Income
$62,118
49% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,580 in Milwaukee. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Milwaukee residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,549/mo in Milwaukee. 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
$2.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (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 State Street (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.79 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.49 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.39 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.97 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.16 estimate
$9.83 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.16 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.34 estimate
$4.39 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.06 estimate
$6.49 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$5.84 estimate
$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.52 estimate
$6.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$2.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (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 State Street (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.79 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$5.49 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (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 State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (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 State Street (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 State Street (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 State Street (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 State Street (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 State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.65 | $5.16 | +41.4% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.41 | $5.16 | +17.0% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (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 State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.18 | $7.34 | +41.7% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.12 | $5.06 | +22.8% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.57 | $5.84 | +27.8% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$6.29 @ Metro Market - Metro State Street (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.08 | $8.52 | +40.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$10.67
Casual Dining
$20.44
Monthly Spend
$350.82
+4.71% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.62
$10.67
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $7.47
$11.52
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $8.00
$11.95
+49.4%Starbucks
2022: $3.77
$5.23
+38.7%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Milwaukee?
Average 1BR: $1,270/mo · 2BR: $1,828/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
469k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,330
$69k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$62k
household median
Employment by Sector — Milwaukee
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$64k/yr
~$55k/yr
~$85k/yr
~$34k/yr
~$81k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 55079
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,414/wk · $126k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$649/wk · $34k/yr
Milwaukee Cost of Living FAQ
Is Milwaukee, WI expensive to live in?
Milwaukee has a cost of living index of 88, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 12% cheaper than average. It is the most affordable of the 18 Wisconsin cities we track.
What is the average rent in Milwaukee, WI?
Typical rent in Milwaukee is $1,549 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 20% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,270 and two bedrooms about $1,828. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Milwaukee?
Rent in Milwaukee rose 5.1% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Milwaukee?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.88 a gallon in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee?
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 Milwaukee is about $175.
How much is car insurance in Milwaukee?
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 Milwaukee?
Median household income in the Milwaukee area is $62,118 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $30,437 a year, or 49% 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 Milwaukee compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
Rent in Milwaukee is 18% above the $1,309 average across the 18 Wisconsin cities we track, and its cost of living index of 88 compares with a state average of 95.
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