Irving vs Milwaukee
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Irving
Milwaukee
💡 The Verdict
Irving is 8% cheaper than Milwaukee overall. A $75,000 salary in Irving is equivalent to $81,176 in Milwaukee.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Irving (left) vs Milwaukee (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Irving versus Milwaukee. Differences shown from Irving perspective.
| Item | Irving | Milwaukee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $590/mo | $820/mo | $-230.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $850/mo | $1,100/mo | $-250.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,090/mo | $1,460/mo | $-370.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.54 | $2.84 | $-0.30 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.28 | $3.56 | $-0.28 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.07 | $3.27 | $-0.20 |
| Coffee (latte) | $4.90 | $5.48 | $-0.58 |
| Gas (gallon) | $2.95 | $3.46 | $-0.51 |
| Restaurant Meal | $15.87 | $15.63 | +$0.24 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Irving has the same purchasing power as $81,176 in Milwaukee.
Conversely, $75,000 in Milwaukee equals $69,293 in Irving.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $3976 difference is driven by Wisconsin having a higher state income tax rate. Texas details → · Wisconsin details →
Reading These Numbers: Irving (85) vs Milwaukee (92)
Irving at 85 is 15% below the US average, while Milwaukee at 92 is 8% below average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Irving, the composite index of 85 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 79, followed by groceries (87), utilities (80), transportation (84), and healthcare (86). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $850/mo in Irving and $1,100/mo in Milwaukee, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,000.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $15,000.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $74,000.0 difference in median home prices between Irving and Milwaukee translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Irving vs Milwaukee
Choosing between Irving and Milwaukee involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Irving and Milwaukee reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.