City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 6.6% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $106,600 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,628 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Phoenix, AZ ($111,310 → $111,338), while prices change by +6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Milwaukee, WI | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,581 in Phoenix | $93,826 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,628/yr.
49 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,628/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Milwaukee → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $64,564 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $78,117 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $93,629 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $111,338 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $131,568 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $59,180 | $55,526 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $131,750 | $123,615 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $80,820 | $75,830 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $100,830 | $94,604 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.