Mesa, AZ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Mesa, AZ Summary

Cost of living in Mesa research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Mesa is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arizona, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Mesa is 116, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mesa is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Mesa ranks as the #60 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.

  • Mesa ranks as the #4,151 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mesa is $432,494.

  • The median income in Mesa is $78,779.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
116
Mesa's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mesa, AZ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mesa has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arizona, Mesa has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Arizona's index of 102.

The standard of living in Mesa ranks as #60 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Mesa ranks as the #32 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.

For more reading on life in Mesa, check out:

60 out of 92
In Arizona
4,151 out of 6,489
In America

Mesa Cost Of Living Vs. Arizona

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Mesa. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Mesa is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Mesa is 104.

  • The Health index in Mesa is 99.

  • The Housing index in Mesa is 128.

  • The Transportation index in Mesa is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Mesa is 96.

Living Expense Mesa Arizona National Average
Overall 116 102 100
Services 115 102 100
Groceries 104 103 100
Health 99 95 100
Housing 128 99 100
Transportation 126 107 100
Utilities 96 96 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arizona, check out:
Mesa Cost of Living Vs. AZ

Mesa, AZ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arizona, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Mesa is $432,494.

  • The Median Rent in Mesa is $1,478.

  • The Median Income in Mesa is $78,779.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mesa is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mesa is 0.23x.

Statistic Mesa Arizona United States
Median Home Value $432,494 $422,479 $303,400
Median Rent $1,478 $1,431 $1,348
Median Income $78,779 $76,872 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 5.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.22x 0.21x
$432,494
Median Home Value
$1,478
Median Rent
$78,779
Median Income

Mesa, AZ Costs By Category

Detailed Mesa Services Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Mesa Arizona
Shampoo $1.24 $1.28
Movie $12.43 $12.13
Bowling $24.03 $18
Haircut $31.99 $24.26
Beauty Salon $51.63 $45.56

Detailed Mesa Groceries Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Mesa Arizona
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.47 $1.57
Milk $4.84 $4.67
Potatoes $4.54 $4.93
Pizza $13.22 $12.09
Beer $11.37 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Mesa Health Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Mesa Arizona
Optometrist $105.08 $125.68
Doctor $126.58 $135.78
Dentist $108.47 $113.29

Detailed Mesa Transportation Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Mesa Arizona
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $66.63 $59.92

Detailed Mesa Utilities Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Mesa Arizona
All Electricity $193.37 $193.99
Phone $184.32 $192.25

Mesa SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mesa

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Mesa. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Chandler, AZ has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x Mesa.

  • Gilbert, AZ has a cost of living index of 133, 1.1x Mesa.

  • Tempe, AZ has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x Mesa.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mesa
Chandler, AZ 278,123 128 1.1x
Gilbert, AZ 271,118 133 1.1x
Tempe, AZ 186,419 113 1.0x
San Tan Valley, AZ 105,231 119 1.0x
Goodyear, AZ 102,891 120 1.0x
Queen Creek, AZ 66,369 135 1.2x
Apache Junction, AZ 39,746 98 0.8x
Fountain Hills, AZ 23,768 137 1.2x
Sun Lakes, AZ 14,079 123 1.1x
Paradise Valley, AZ 12,621 286 2.5x

Articles About Arizona

Enjoy The Snack?