Question 1

Is Des Moines or Milwaukee cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $146/month less than in Des Moines, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,318/mo in Des Moines versus $1,338/mo in Milwaukee.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Des Moines vs Milwaukee?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $67,500/year before tax in Des Moines, IA and $65,000/year in Milwaukee, WI — a difference of about $2,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Des Moines or Milwaukee cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,993/month in Des Moines 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 Des Moines 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	Des Moines69	Milwaukee65
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,738	$3,592
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,993	$6,625
Salary for comfort	$67,500/yr	$65,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,318	$1,338
Median home value	$183,700	$172,000
Median household income	$63,966	$51,888
Unemployment	3.3%	4.1%
Housing score	86	62
Jobs score	84	55
Safety score	30	41
Climate score	81	70
Amenities score	38	65
Population	212.5K	569.8K
Summer high / winter low	86° / 14°	80° / 16°

Des Moines, IA vs Milwaukee, WI