Daytona Beach vs Milwaukee
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Daytona Beach
Milwaukee
The Verdict
Milwaukee is 3.3% less expensive than Daytona Beach overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $72,632 in Milwaukee to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Daytona Beach has the same purchasing power as $72,632 in Milwaukee.
Conversely, $75,000 in Milwaukee equals $77,446 in Daytona Beach.
Living in Daytona Beach vs Milwaukee
Housing Costs
Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is higher Milwaukee's 80, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $175,000. The $113,000 difference in home prices means roughly $7,344 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $1,100/mo in Milwaukee, a monthly difference of $250.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 100 in Milwaukee. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $475/month in Milwaukee. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 101 in Daytona Beach and 97 in Milwaukee. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $388 in Milwaukee. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 99 in Daytona Beach and 102 in Milwaukee. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $52,100 in Daytona Beach and $44,044 in Milwaukee. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $47,874 respectively. Daytona Beach residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite higher nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,216/month to housing in Daytona Beach vs $1,028/month in Milwaukee. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Milwaukee, median rent of $1,100/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 13 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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