

Milwaukee vs St. Joseph
$37/mo more in St. Joseph
MilwaukeeSt. JosephAbout 417 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- St. Joseph leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 220 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,631/mo in St. Joseph. $2,594/mo in Milwaukee. +$444 a year.
Milwaukee
$2,594
left each month
St. Joseph
$2,631
+$37 vs Milwaukee
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
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+$37 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Milwaukee | St. Joseph | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,625 | $6,738 | −$887 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,875 | $1,538 | −$336 |
| Take-home pay | $5,750 | $5,200 | −$551 |
| Rent | $1,261 | $754 | −$507 |
| Getting around | $503 | $547 | +$44 |
| Groceries | $384 | $350 | −$34 |
| Healthcare | $432 | $394 | −$38 |
| Utilities | $240 | $219 | −$21 |
| Everything else | $336 | $306 | −$30 |
| Left over | $2,594 | $2,631 | +$37 |
Salary to match Milwaukee
$80,000
Gross pay in St. Joseph that leaves the same amount as $91,500 in Milwaukee.
Tax difference
+$878
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.6% in Milwaukee, 22.8% in St. Joseph.
More about St. Joseph
Milwaukee, WI in full
Lake Michigan summers, cheap housing, and a 1.5% property tax.
St. Joseph, MO in full
State income tax topping out at 4.7%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $898 and 220 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
The other way
Start in St. Joseph.
St. Joseph → Milwaukee →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in St. Joseph than Milwaukee?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, St. Joseph leaves about $37 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,261 in Milwaukee and $754 in St. Joseph.
Does St. Joseph have state income tax?
St. Joseph is in Missouri, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Milwaukee to St. Joseph?
The paycheck is taxed in Missouri. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Milwaukee and St. Joseph changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.