Madison, WI Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Madison, WI Summary

Cost of living in Madison research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Madison is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Wisconsin, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 109, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Madison is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Madison ranks as the #126 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 143.

  • Madison ranks as the #4,038 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Madison is $277,800.

  • The median income in Madison is $70,466.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
109
Madison's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Madison, WI?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Madison has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Wisconsin, Madison has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.

The standard of living in Madison ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 143 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Madison ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the Badger State.

For more reading on life in Madison, check out:

126 out of 143
In Wisconsin
4,038 out of 6,412
In America

Madison Cost Of Living Vs. Wisconsin

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Madison. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Madison is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Madison is 110.

  • The Health index in Madison is 122.

  • The Housing index in Madison is 114.

  • The Transportation index in Madison is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Madison is 101.

Living Expense Madison Wisconsin National Average
Overall 109 95 100
Services 105 97 100
Groceries 110 98 100
Health 122 114 100
Housing 114 84 100
Transportation 104 96 100
Utilities 101 103 100
For more reading on cost of living around Wisconsin, check out:
Madison Cost of Living Vs. WI

Madison, WI Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Wisconsin, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Madison is $277,800.

  • The Median Rent in Madison is $1,212.

  • The Median Income in Madison is $70,466.

  • The Home Value To Income in Madison is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Madison is 0.21x.

Statistic Madison Wisconsin United States
Median Home Value $277,800 $200,400 $244,900
Median Rent $1,212 $916 $1,163
Median Income $70,466 $67,080 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.9x 3.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.16x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Madison, WI
$277,800
Median Home Value
$1,212
Median Rent
$70,466
Median Income

Madison, WI Costs By Category

Detailed Madison Services Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Madison Wisconsin
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $10.98 $10.68
Bowling $22.33 $14.67
Haircut $18.66 $18.62
Beauty Salon $48.44 $39.05

Detailed Madison Groceries Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Madison Wisconsin
Ground Beef $4.41 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.39
Milk $2.26 $2.05
Potatoes $2.55 $3.29
Pizza $10.49 $10.62
Beer $8.27 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.36 $2.34

Detailed Madison Health Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Madison Wisconsin
Optometrist $57.0 $108.57
Doctor $201.33 $116.17
Dentist $113.22 $99.13

Detailed Madison Transportation Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Madison Wisconsin
Gasoline $2.18 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.17 $50.07

Detailed Madison Utilities Costs Vs. Wisconsin

Item Madison Wisconsin
All Electricity $169.31 $167.67
Phone $179.44 $175.64

Madison SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Madison

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Madison. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sun Prairie, WI has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Madison.

  • Fitchburg, WI has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Madison.

  • Middleton, WI has a cost of living index of 118, 1.1x Madison.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Madison
Sun Prairie, WI 35,528 108 1.0x
Fitchburg, WI 29,361 115 1.1x
Middleton, WI 21,634 118 1.1x
Waunakee, WI 14,679 119 1.1x
Verona, WI 13,798 116 1.1x
Stoughton, WI 13,158 101 0.9x
Oregon, WI 11,100 110 1.0x
DeForest, WI 10,700 104 1.0x
McFarland, WI 9,026 109 1.0x
Monona, WI 8,560 110 1.0x

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