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.
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:
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 | |
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.
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 |