Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in El Paso, TX versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 24% higher in Madison, WI. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

El Paso, TX
Madison, WI

Rent

Studio
$707
$1,018
+44% in Madison, WI
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,219
+49% in Madison, WI
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,432
+44% in Madison, WI
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,766
+41% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$346,900
+102% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$76,983
+31% in Madison, WI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$58,080
+47% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
31.8 yr
+2.3 yr in El Paso, TX
Homeownership
60.2%
46.6%
+13.6 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
59.2%
+31.7 pp in Madison, WI
Avg Commute
23.7 min
19.4 min
+4.3 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
259.5
+19% in El Paso, TX
Property Crime
1,509.3
1,884.5
+25% in Madison, WI

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.6°F
46.5°F
+18.1°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
34.5 in
+24.8 in in Madison, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Madison, WI

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
19.7
+20% in Madison, WI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$11.79
+61% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Madison, WI
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in El Paso, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Madison, WI
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Madison, WI
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Madison, WI
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / WI)
6.25%
5%
+1.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.65%
+7.7 pp in WI

El Paso vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Madison?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Madison?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Madison?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).