Question 1

Is Memphis or Milwaukee cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, TN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $62/month less than in Milwaukee, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,274/mo in Memphis versus $1,338/mo in Milwaukee.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Memphis vs Milwaukee?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $60,500/year before tax in Memphis, TN and $65,000/year in Milwaukee, WI — a difference of about $4,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Memphis or Milwaukee cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,533/month in Memphis 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 Memphis or Milwaukee?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Memphis 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	Memphis57	Milwaukee65
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,530	$3,592
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,533	$6,625
Salary for comfort	$60,500/yr	$65,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,274	$1,338
Median home value	$157,100	$172,000
Median household income	$51,211	$51,888
Unemployment	4.7%	4.1%
Housing score	68	62
Jobs score	31	55
Safety score	4	41
Climate score	100	70
Amenities score	47	65
Population	629.1K	569.8K
Summer high / winter low	90° / 30°	80° / 16°

Memphis, TN vs Milwaukee, WI