Self-Storage Facility Startup Cost Comparison

Milwaukee, WI vs Chicago, IL

Milwaukee, WI

$339,000 - $4,016,000

COL Index: 95.8

VS

Chicago, IL

$557,000 - $7,093,000

COL Index: 107.8

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense Milwaukee, WI Chicago, IL Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$500 - $3,000 $500 - $3,000 Same
Land & Building
$200,000 - $3,000,000 $391,300 - $5,869,600 -49%
Storage Units & Access
$92,000 - $736,000 $115,000 - $920,000 -20%
Management Software & Security
$10,000 - $50,000 $10,000 - $50,000 Same
Business Insurance (Annual)
$5,000 - $20,000 $5,000 - $20,000 Same
Marketing & Visibility
$3,000 - $15,000 $3,000 - $15,000 Same
Working Capital (6 Months)
$28,700 - $191,600 $32,300 - $215,600 -11%
Total Estimated Cost $339,000 - $4,016,000 $557,000 - $7,093,000 -43%

Local Market Factors

Factor Milwaukee Chicago
Cost of Living Index 95.8 107.8
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $14 - $32 $25 - $65
Labor Rate Index 0.92 1.15
Sales Tax 5.5% 10.25%
Minimum Wage $7.25/hr $15.80/hr
LLC Filing Fee $130 $150

Ready to Start Your Self-Storage Facility?

Start your Self-Storage Facility LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee