Madison, WI

Cost of Living in Madison, WI (2026): Rent, Utilities & Take-Home

$3,245/mo in Madison. $2,631 left each month. Prices near the US average.

Compare vs Chicago Rank metros from MadisonHow we figure this

Monthly costs

Take-home $5,876/mo.

Taxes$1,942
Rent$1,330
Other living costs$1,915
Left over$2,631

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $93,810
Federal income tax: −$12,252
Social Security and Medicare: −$7,176
State income tax (WI): −$3,874
Take-home pay: $70,507
Effective tax rate: 24.8%

Living costs, per month

Rent, 1br: $1,330
Groceries: $388
Getting around: $509
Healthcare: $437
Utilities and internet: $243
Everything else: $340
Total spending: $3,245

Left over each month

$7,818 gross, minus $1,942 in tax and $3,245 in living costs.

$2,631

Average electric bill in Wisconsin

About $163 a month for a household using 900 kWh. That is the EIA residential price for Wisconsin in 2025, 18.08¢ per kWh. It is a state average, not a Madison utility bill, and the utilities line in the monthly costs above already includes a modelled power cost.

Moving from Madison

Madison → Milwaukee · $13 less

Cost of Living in Madison, WI (2026): Rent, Utilities & Take-Home

Monthly costs

Pay and tax, per year

Living costs, per month

Average electric bill in Wisconsin

Moving from Madison

Take-home by job in Madison

Other Wisconsin metros

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