Cost of living in Phoenix 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 Phoenix 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 Phoenix is 107, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Phoenix is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Phoenix ranks as the #47 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.
Phoenix ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Phoenix is $407,541.
The median income in Phoenix is $77,041.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Phoenix has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arizona, Phoenix has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Arizona's index of 102.
The standard of living in Phoenix ranks as #47 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Phoenix ranks as the #45 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.
For more reading on life in Phoenix, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Phoenix. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Phoenix is 89.
The Groceries index in Phoenix is 103.
The Health index in Phoenix is 95.
The Housing index in Phoenix is 130.
The Transportation index in Phoenix is 103.
The Utilities index in Phoenix is 99.
| Living Expense | Phoenix | Arizona | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 107 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 89 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 130 | 99 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 103 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 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 Phoenix is $407,541.
The Median Rent in Phoenix is $1,458.
The Median Income in Phoenix is $77,041.
The Home Value To Income in Phoenix is 5.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Phoenix is 0.23x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Phoenix. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Glendale, AZ has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Phoenix.
Scottsdale, AZ has a cost of living index of 136, 1.3x Phoenix.
Peoria, AZ has a cost of living index of 117, 1.1x Phoenix.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glendale, AZ | 250,193 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 242,169 | 136 | 1.3x |
| Peoria, AZ | 194,338 | 117 | 1.1x |
| Tempe, AZ | 186,419 | 113 | 1.1x |
| El Mirage, AZ | 35,823 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Paradise Valley, AZ | 12,621 | 286 | 2.7x |
| Tolleson, AZ | 7,233 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Litchfield Park, AZ | 6,871 | 128 | 1.2x |
| Guadalupe, AZ | 5,293 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Cave Creek, AZ | 5,033 | 129 | 1.2x |