Milwaukee is the 5th least expensive city in the country for drinking, and no one is surprised
Kathy Flanigan
Milwaukee cracked the top five of the least expensive cities in the country for drinking. Is anyone surprised? Show of hands.
Rent.com, the website for rental properties, took cost-of-living data and ranked 256 cities on affordability for beer and wine. One indicated the most affordable, while 256 indicated most expensive. Milwaukee ranked 5 for beer and 35 for wine.
Milwaukee topped the list in another way, too. Rent in Milwaukee is the priciest of all the top cities on the cheapest-drinks list. A one-bedroom costs $1,285, according to Rent.com, which created the ranking.
Maybe by way of explanation for rent prices, Milwaukee is described as being "known for its plethora of ethnic dining and affordable alcohol prices. It is one most walkable cities in the U.S., featuring gorgeous skyline views along the water. And, of course, it’s home to Miller Brewing Company."
More:Here's why rents are increasing for apartments in the Milwaukee area
Only Meridian, Miss.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Rio Rancho, N.M.; and Benton Harbor, Mich., are cheaper for drinkers. The most expensive city for beer or wine is Seattle, which scored 252 for beer and 253 for wine.
Two other Wisconsin cities made the top 50 for cheap drinks: Eau Claire ranked 31 and Madison ranked 34.
Rent.com added the raw score for each category and divided by two to get a total alcohol affordability score. The cities with the lowest overall scores were determined to be the most affordable. Rent information is based on August rental property inventory on ApartmentGuide.com and Rent.com.
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Contact Kathy at (414) 224-2974 or kathy.flanigan@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @katflanigan.