Moving to Wisconsin from Virginia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Virginia to Wisconsin? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Virginia to Wisconsin, you would find that Wisconsin is 19.4% cheaper than Virginia. A $75,000 salary in Virginia would need to be roughly $60,500 in Wisconsin to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madison averages 56°F vs 70°F in Richmond, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Virginia and Wisconsin.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $60,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Wisconsin
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.2% less
Groceries
pay 20.9% less
Transportation
pay 11.2% less
Housing
pay 24.6% less
Childcare
pay 19.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Wisconsin cost about 19% less than cities in Virginia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Wisconsin compared to Virginia.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Virginia generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Virginia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Wisconsin performs significantly better than Virginia across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Virginia generally does better on infrastructure, though Wisconsin leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Virginia generally does better on employment & economy, though Wisconsin leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Virginia generally does better on family life, though Wisconsin leads in life expectancy.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Richmond | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Richmond | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) |
| Feb | 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) |
| Mar | 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) |
| Apr | 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) |
| Jun | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) |
| Sep | 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) |
| Oct | 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) |
| Nov | 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) |
| Dec | 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Wisconsin than Virginia?
On average Wisconsin is about 19% less expensive than Virginia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Wisconsin?
Budget about $15,125 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?
Virginia generally does better on safety, though Wisconsin leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Wisconsin compared to Virginia?
Virginia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Wisconsin leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Wisconsin compared to Virginia?
The average high temperature in Madison is 56°F, compared to 70°F in Richmond. Madison receives around 34.5 in of rainfall per year, while Richmond gets 43.6 in.
