Moving to Wisconsin from Utah

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Utah to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Utah to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 11.4% more expensive than Utah. A $75,000 salary in Utah would need to be roughly $74,156 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Utah and Wisconsin.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $74,156

To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.0% more

Groceries

pay 3.5% more

Transportation

pay 6.8% less

Housing

pay 8.8% less

Childcare

pay 84.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Wisconsin compared to Utah.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

UT
224
WI
286
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

UT
1576
WI
1204

Utah generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

UT
8.1%
WI
5.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

UT
32.3%
WI
37.8%

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

UT
$455,000
WI
$247,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

UT
$1,405
WI
$1,045

Wisconsin generally does better on what about housing?, though Utah leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

UT
92.9%
WI
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

UT
22 min
WI
22 min

Utah performs better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

UT
3.5%
WI
3.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

UT
$66,207
WI
$59,333

Utah generally does better on employment & economy, though Wisconsin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

UT
78.6 yrs
WI
77.7 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

UT
21%
WI
22%

Utah generally does better on family life, though Wisconsin leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Salt Lake City Rain: 16.1 in/yr (409 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Salt Lake City Madison
Jan–Mar 45°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 68°/46°F (20°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/60°F (31°/16°C) 78°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/32°F (10°/0°C) 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Salt Lake City Madison
Jan 37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C) 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C)
Feb 43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C) 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C)
Mar 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C)
Apr 62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C) 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C)
May 72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C) 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C)
Jun 83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C) 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C)
Jul 93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Aug 90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C) 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C)
Sep 79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C) 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C)
Oct 65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C) 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C)
Nov 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C) 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C)
Dec 38°/23°F (3.3°/-5.2°C) 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Utah?

Wisconsin and Utah are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?

Budget about $18,539 for 3 months in Wisconsin (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Wisconsin safe?

Utah generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Utah?

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Utah?

The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 64°F in Salt Lake City. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Salt Lake City gets 16.1 in.

Share this