Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Milwaukee, WI and Austin, TX

For one person, living costs are similar in Milwaukee, WI and in Austin, TX: $2,553 and $2,663 a month, rent and utilities included.

123

Cost of Living Index in Milwaukee, WI
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Milwaukee, WI Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Milwaukee, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,553

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Milwaukee, WI and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Milwaukee, WI and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,553 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Milwaukee, WI $2,553
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,695 in Milwaukee, WI versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Milwaukee, WI $3,695
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,838 in Milwaukee, WI versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Milwaukee, WI $4,838
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Milwaukee, WI costs roughly 4% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Milwaukee, WI 89% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$20.77 $20.77

-5.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$84.6 $84.6

-12.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$12.32 $12.32

-19.07%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$5.63 $5.63

-9.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.72 $3.72

-23.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.50 $2.50

-17.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$8.05 $8.05

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 $7.67

$9.01 $9.01

-14.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.12 $1.12

-26.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.75 $3.75

-9.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.26 $3.26

55.21%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$4.17 $4.17

11.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 $10.01

$12.90 $12.90

-22.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$14.16 $14.16

-1.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$16.22 $16.22

2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.33 $4.33

20.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.46 $1.46

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$4.51 $4.51

0.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$4.34 $4.34

16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.35 $2.35

8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.78 $1.78

30.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.22 $2.22

7.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.53 $10.53

$9.88 $9.88

6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 $15.53

$15.08 $15.08

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.92 $2.92

-31.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.46 $3.46

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.49 $1.49

46.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.4 $71.4

$41.72 $41.72

71.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.73 $2.73

1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.66 $1.66

-4.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.74 $20.74

$35.30 $35.30

-41.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.95 $0.95

8.42%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

-0.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 $202

$229 $229

-11.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$59.4 $59.4

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.8 $70.8

$69.9 $69.9

1.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 $41.84

$57.2 $57.2

-26.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 $18.53

$16.33 $16.33

13.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.46 $14.46

$14.28 $14.28

1.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,812 $1,812

$1,506 $1,506

20.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

10.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 $54.8

$52.8 $52.8

3.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$43.82 $43.82

-7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$84.8 $84.8

11.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$103 $103

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,760 $1,760

$1,907 $1,907

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,191 $1,191

$1,274 $1,274

-6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 $2,798

$3,664 $3,664

-23.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$2,538 $2,538

-27.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$7,614 $7,614

-64.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,696 $1,696

$3,157 $3,157

-46.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,744 $3,744

$5,121 $5,121

-26.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.79

-2.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Milwaukee, WI: October 11, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Milwaukee, WI

$1.2K 46.6%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 7% $83

Groceries & Markets

Milwaukee, WI

$408 16%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 0.9% $3.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Milwaukee, WI

$340 13.3%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 5.4% $19

Eating Out

Milwaukee, WI

$314 12.3%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 12.7% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Milwaukee, WI

$138 5.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 7.5% $10

Getting Around

Milwaukee, WI

$91 3.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 35.4% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Milwaukee, WI

$71 2.8%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 21.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,760 in Milwaukee, WI and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Milwaukee, WI vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $405, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Milwaukee, WI

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:26 4:26 PM

Same time as Milwaukee, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

605,013

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Milwaukee, WI Austin, TX 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Milwaukee, WI
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Milwaukee, WI vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Milwaukee, WI wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Milwaukee, WI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,760 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,553 per month in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Milwaukee, WI runs roughly 71% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Milwaukee, WI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Milwaukee, WI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,553 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Milwaukee, WI hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Milwaukee, WI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.