Is it cheaper to live in Milwaukee or Tucson?

Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Tucson, AZ's $1,060, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Milwaukee versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Milwaukee or Tucson?

Milwaukee is taxed under Wisconsin's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Milwaukee vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,030/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Milwaukee, WI is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 5% higher in Tucson, AZ. Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Milwaukee, WI

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$841

$795

+5% in Milwaukee, WI

1 Bedroom

$849

$891

+5% in Tucson, AZ

2 Bedroom

$1,031

$1,146

+11% in Tucson, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,520

+27% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$172,000

$242,200

+41% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$51,888

$54,546

+5% in Tucson, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,160

$47,760

+7% in Milwaukee, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

32.2 yr

34.6 yr

+2.4 yr in Tucson, AZ

Homeownership

41.5%

51.7%

+10.2 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.6%

30.2%

+3.6 pp in Tucson, AZ

Avg Commute

22.4 min

22.2 min

+0.2 min in Milwaukee, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,452.3

645.8

+56% in Milwaukee, WI

Property Crime

2,772.2

3,460

+25% in Tucson, AZ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

47.9°F

70.2°F

+22.3°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

34.8 in

11.6 in

+23.1 in in Milwaukee, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$5.57/gal

+28% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.25

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

18.8

15.6

+17% in Milwaukee, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$9.48

$19.69

+108% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.37

+6% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$2.10

+17% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.25

+38% in Milwaukee, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$7.23

+4% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$2.14

+1% in Milwaukee, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.74

+18% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WI / AZ)

5.6%

+0.6 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

7.65%

2.50%

+5.2 pp in WI

Milwaukee vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Milwaukee or Tucson?: Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Tucson, AZ's $1,060, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Milwaukee than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Milwaukee versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Milwaukee or Tucson?: Milwaukee is taxed under Wisconsin's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).