Moving to Arizona from Wisconsin
What to Expect
Considering a move from Wisconsin to Arizona? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Wisconsin to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 0.5% more expensive than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly $79,960 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 56°F in Madison, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Wisconsin and Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $79,960
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 9.8% more
Groceries
pay 0.5% less
Transportation
pay 3.3% more
Housing
pay 34.0% more
Childcare
pay 44.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.1% more
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 Arizona compared to Wisconsin.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Wisconsin performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.
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
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Wisconsin performs better than Arizona across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Wisconsin generally does better on infrastructure, though Arizona leads in internet access.
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
Wisconsin generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Wisconsin performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madison | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madison | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Wisconsin?
On average Arizona is around 7% pricier than Wisconsin, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Budget about $19,990 for 3 months in Arizona (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Arizona safe?
Wisconsin performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Wisconsin?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.
