Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Milwaukee?

Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Milwaukee, WI's $1,050, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.

Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Milwaukee?

Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Milwaukee under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Laramie vs Milwaukee Cost of Living 2026

Laramie

Wyoming

$890/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 $890 in Laramie, WY versus $1,050 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Milwaukee, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,414 in Laramie, WY and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 1% higher in Laramie, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Laramie, WY

Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio

$667

$841

+26% in Milwaukee, WI

1 Bedroom

$728

$849

+17% in Milwaukee, WI

2 Bedroom

$883

$1,031

+17% in Milwaukee, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,423

$1,193

+16% in Laramie, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$302,200

$172,000

+43% in Laramie, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$52,414

$51,888

+1% in Laramie, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$51,160

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

26.9 yr

32.2 yr

+5.3 yr in Milwaukee, WI

Homeownership

44.1%

41.5%

+2.6 pp in Laramie, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.8%

26.6%

+29.2 pp in Laramie, WY

Avg Commute

13.5 min

22.4 min

+8.9 min in Milwaukee, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

129.6

1,452.3

+1021% in Milwaukee, WI

Property Crime

1,175.9

2,772.2

+136% 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

41.0°F

47.9°F

+6.9°F in Milwaukee, WI

Annual Precipitation

10.9 in

34.8 in

+23.8 in in Milwaukee, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Laramie, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

19.6

+28% in Milwaukee, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$18.17

+1% in Laramie, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Laramie, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Laramie, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Milwaukee, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Laramie, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Milwaukee, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Laramie, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / WI)

+1.0 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Laramie vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Milwaukee?: Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Milwaukee, WI's $1,050, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Laramie than in Milwaukee?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Milwaukee?: Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).