Question 1

Is Denver or Milwaukee cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $879/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,338/mo in Milwaukee.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Milwaukee?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,000/year before tax in Denver, CO and $65,000/year in Milwaukee, WI — a difference of about $19,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or Milwaukee cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $8,304/month in Denver and $6,625/month in Milwaukee, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or Milwaukee?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Milwaukee costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Denver57	Milwaukee65
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,471	$3,592
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,304	$6,625
Salary for comfort	$84,000/yr	$65,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,338
Median home value	$586,700	$172,000
Median household income	$91,681	$51,888
Unemployment	3.8%	4.1%
Housing score	32	62
Jobs score	41	55
Safety score	35	41
Climate score	93	70
Amenities score	64	65
Population	713.7K	569.8K
Summer high / winter low	92° / 20°	80° / 16°

Denver, CO vs Milwaukee, WI