Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,040/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,040 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Milwaukee, WI is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 23% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$841
+25% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$849
+26% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,031
+26% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,193
+23% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$172,000
+35% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$51,888
+23% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$51,160
+5% in Milwaukee, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
32.2 yr
+4.2 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
41.5%
+15.9 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
26.6%
+5.2 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Avg Commute
24.1 min
22.4 min
+1.7 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
1,452.3
+160% in Milwaukee, WI
Property Crime
2,600.1
2,772.2
+7% 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
70.2°F
47.9°F
+22.3°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
34.8 in
+14.4 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.94/gal
+5% in Milwaukee, WI

Area: Florida vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$2.25
+29% in Milwaukee, WI

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
19.7
+30% in Milwaukee, WI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$11.79
+50% in Jacksonville, FL

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 Jacksonville, FL
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
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / WI)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.65%
+7.7 pp in WI

Jacksonville vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Milwaukee?
Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Milwaukee?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Milwaukee?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).