Minneapolis vs Milwaukee
Minneapolis, MN · Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee is 14% cheaper than Minneapolis overall.
Home Price
Minneapolis: $330,000
Milwaukee: $225,000
Monthly Rent
Minneapolis: $1,114/mo
Milwaukee: $1,195/mo
COL Index
Minneapolis: 105
Milwaukee: 90
Median Income
Minneapolis: $80,600
Milwaukee: $56,400
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Minneapolis has the same purchasing power as $85,714 in Milwaukee — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Milwaukee cost 32% more (-$105,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Minneapolis saves you $81/month — $972 per year. Median rent: $1,114/mo in Minneapolis vs $1,195/mo in Milwaukee.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Minneapolis owners pay roughly $3,630/year in property taxes vs $4,050/year in Milwaukee. That's a $420 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $80,600 in Minneapolis and $56,400 in Milwaukee. Milwaukee residents earn 30% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 25 minutes in Minneapolis vs 24 minutes in Milwaukee. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Minneapolis to Milwaukee, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Minneapolis | Equivalent in Milwaukee | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,857 | -$7,143 |
| $75,000 | $64,286 | -$10,714 |
| $100,000 | $85,714 | -$14,286 |
| $150,000 | $128,571 | -$21,429 |
| $200,000 | $171,429 | -$28,571 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Minneapolis Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Minneapolis vs Milwaukee: Common Questions
Is Minneapolis or Milwaukee cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Milwaukee is cheaper overall. Minneapolis has a COL index of 105 while Milwaukee scores 90 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Minneapolis and Milwaukee?
The median home price in Minneapolis is $330,000 vs $225,000 in Milwaukee — a difference of $105,000 (32%).
What salary do I need in Milwaukee to match my Minneapolis income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Minneapolis is equivalent to $85,714 in Milwaukee in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Minneapolis has a lower property tax rate (1.1% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,630/year vs $4,050/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.