CostIndexUSA

Milwaukee, WI vs Panama City, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostWI
Milwaukee
96.9
overall index
$1,450/mo rent
FL
Panama City
97.3
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Milwaukee and Panama City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing0.7%
Milwaukee
97.1
Panama City
96.4
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
Milwaukee
93.8
Panama City
96.2
🚗 Transportation0.6%
Milwaukee
104.4
Panama City
103.8
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Milwaukee
94.4
Panama City
93.9
Utilities3.8%
Milwaukee
91.6
Panama City
88.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Milwaukee to see what you'd need to earn in Panama City to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Panama City, FL
$80,300
$300 more needed in Panama City

Formula: salary × (97.3 ÷ 96.9) = salary × 1.0041. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Home Price
$363,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
97.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.9×

Panama City, FL

Median Home Price
$337,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
96.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.5×

Milwaukee has 0.7% lower housing costs compared to Panama City.

Income & Job Market

Milwaukee, WI

Median Household Income
$77,000
Per Capita Income
$43,900
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
577,222
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareFinanceEducationRetail

Panama City, FL

Median Household Income
$69,700
Per Capita Income
$39,700
Unemployment Rate
3%
Population
36,877
Top Industries
MilitaryTourismHealthcareManufacturingRetail

Affordability at a Glance

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

Milwaukee, WI
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Panama City, FL
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

71% 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.