Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Milwaukee?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Milwaukee, WI's $1,050, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Milwaukee?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.

Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Milwaukee?

Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Milwaukee under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Fayetteville vs Milwaukee Cost of Living 2026

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,050/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,050 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Milwaukee, WI, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 12% higher in Fayetteville, AR. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Fayetteville, AR

Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio

$709

$841

+19% in Milwaukee, WI

1 Bedroom

$817

$849

+4% in Milwaukee, WI

2 Bedroom

$999

$1,031

+3% in Milwaukee, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,193

+17% in Fayetteville, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$322,500

$172,000

+47% in Fayetteville, AR

Income

Median Household Income

$59,074

$51,888

+12% in Fayetteville, AR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,610

$51,160

+10% in Milwaukee, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.7 yr

32.2 yr

+3.5 yr in Milwaukee, WI

Homeownership

41.9%

41.5%

+0.4 pp in Fayetteville, AR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

49.8%

26.6%

+23.2 pp in Fayetteville, AR

Avg Commute

18.2 min

22.4 min

+4.2 min in Milwaukee, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

429.4

1,452.3

+238% in Milwaukee, WI

Property Crime

2,392.2

2,772.2

+16% in Milwaukee, WI

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

57.1°F

47.9°F

+9.2°F in Fayetteville, AR

Annual Precipitation

48.5 in

34.8 in

+13.8 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.85/gal

+6% in Milwaukee, WI

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

19.6

+39% in Milwaukee, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.86

$18.17

+35% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Milwaukee, WI

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Fayetteville, AR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in Milwaukee, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in Milwaukee, WI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in Milwaukee, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / WI)

6.5%

+1.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

3.90%

7.65%

+3.8 pp in WI

Fayetteville vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Milwaukee?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Milwaukee, WI's $1,050, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Milwaukee?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Milwaukee?: Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Milwaukee 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).