Minnesota vs Wisconsin: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $244 more a month in Wisconsin than in Minnesota after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 12% lower in Wisconsin.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Minnesota | Wisconsin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $4,835 | $4,887 | +$53 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,291 | $1,142 | −$149 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $122 | $125 | +$3 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $155 | $166 | +$12 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $182 | $125 | −$57 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $2,427 | $2,671 | +$244 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Minnesota or Wisconsin?
Wisconsin, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, Wisconsin leaves about $244 more a month ($2,933 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in Wisconsin equals $75,000 in Minnesota?
About $70,400 a year. At that salary a single filer in Wisconsin keeps the same $2,427 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Minnesota (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Minnesota and Wisconsin?
Minnesota has income tax from 5.35% to 9.85% and Wisconsin has income tax from 3.5% to 7.65% (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $4,835 a month in Minnesota and $4,887 in Wisconsin.
How much is rent in Minnesota vs Wisconsin?
The median rent is $1,291 a month in Minnesota and $1,142 in Wisconsin (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Minnesota or Wisconsin, and the take-home pay calculators for Minnesota and Wisconsin.