Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Madison?

Aurora, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Madison?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Madison?

Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Aurora vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Aurora, CO versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, Aurora, CO is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 10% higher in Aurora, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Aurora, CO

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

—

$1,018

1 Bedroom

$1,138

$1,219

+7% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$2,284

$1,432

+37% in Aurora, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,320

$1,766

+24% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$689,000

$346,900

+50% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$85,364

$76,983

+10% in Aurora, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$58,080

+7% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

31.8 yr

+3.5 yr in Aurora, CO

Homeownership

46.0%

46.6%

+0.6 pp in Madison, WI

Bachelor's+ (25+)

41.4%

59.2%

+17.8 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

18.7 min

19.4 min

+0.7 min in Madison, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

952.9

259.5

+73% in Aurora, CO

Property Crime

3,368.1

1,884.5

+44% in Aurora, CO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

50.2°F

46.5°F

+3.7°F in Aurora, CO

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

34.5 in

+18.9 in in Madison, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.25/gal

$3.94/gal

+7% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

19.7

+22% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.92

$11.79

+1% in Aurora, CO

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Aurora, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Aurora, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Aurora, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Madison, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Aurora, CO

Average prices — West vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / WI)

2.9%

+2.1 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

7.65%

+3.3 pp in WI

Aurora vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Madison?: Aurora, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Madison?: Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).