CostIndexUSA

Madison, WI vs Pensacola, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Madison
97.3
overall index
$1,625/mo rent
FL
Pensacola
97.7
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Madison and Pensacola have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing0.9%
Madison
99.7
Pensacola
98.8
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
Madison
93.8
Pensacola
96.2
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Madison
104.4
Pensacola
103.8
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Madison
94.4
Pensacola
93.9
Utilities1.4%
Madison
89.8
Pensacola
88.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Madison to see what you'd need to earn in Pensacola to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Pensacola, FL
$80,300
$300 more needed in Pensacola

Formula: salary × (97.7 ÷ 97.3) = salary × 1.0041. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Madison, WI

Median Home Price
$429,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,625
Housing Index
99.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
22.0×

Pensacola, FL

Median Home Price
$300,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
98.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.7×

Madison has 0.9% lower housing costs compared to Pensacola.

Income & Job Market

Madison, WI

Median Household Income
$82,100
Per Capita Income
$46,800
Unemployment Rate
2.2%
Population
269,186
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareGovernmentTechnologyFinance

Pensacola, FL

Median Household Income
$78,300
Per Capita Income
$44,600
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
53,831
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareTourismManufacturingRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Madison, WI
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Pensacola, FL
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.