Question 1

Is Milwaukee or Philadelphia cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $789/month less than in Philadelphia, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,338/mo in Milwaukee versus $1,810/mo in Philadelphia.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Milwaukee vs Philadelphia?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $65,000/year before tax in Milwaukee, WI and $86,000/year in Philadelphia, PA — a difference of about $21,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Milwaukee or Philadelphia cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Milwaukee, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,625/month in Milwaukee and $7,840/month in Philadelphia, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Milwaukee or Philadelphia?

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	Milwaukee65	Philadelphia52
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,592	$4,381
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,625	$7,840
Salary for comfort	$65,000/yr	$86,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,338	$1,810
Median home value	$172,000	$232,400
Median household income	$51,888	$60,698
Unemployment	4.1%	5.0%
Housing score	62	47
Jobs score	55	49
Safety score	41	4
Climate score	70	100
Amenities score	65	46
Population	569.8K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	80° / 16°	88° / 27°

Milwaukee, WI vs Philadelphia, PA