Question 1

Is Milwaukee or Oklahoma City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $152/month less than in Milwaukee, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,338/mo in Milwaukee versus $1,244/mo in Oklahoma City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Milwaukee vs Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $65,000/year before tax in Milwaukee, WI and $62,000/year in Oklahoma City, OK — a difference of about $3,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Milwaukee or Oklahoma City cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,625/month in Milwaukee and $6,504/month in Oklahoma City, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Milwaukee or Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Oklahoma City 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	Milwaukee65	Oklahoma City72
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,592	$3,440
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,625	$6,504
Salary for comfort	$65,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,338	$1,244
Median home value	$172,000	$215,100
Median household income	$51,888	$66,702
Unemployment	4.1%	4.2%
Housing score	62	87
Jobs score	55	24
Safety score	41	70
Climate score	70	96
Amenities score	65	55
Population	569.8K	688.7K
Summer high / winter low	80° / 16°	94° / 29°

Milwaukee, WI vs Oklahoma City, OK