Cost of living in Vail 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 Vail 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 Vail is 118, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Vail is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Vail ranks as the #65 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.
Vail ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Vail is $412,783.
The median income in Vail is $121,385.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Vail has an overall cost of living index of 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arizona, Vail has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Arizona's index of 102.
The standard of living in Vail ranks as #65 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Vail ranks as the #27 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.
For more reading on life in Vail, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Vail. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Vail is 110.
The Groceries index in Vail is 106.
The Health index in Vail is 92.
The Housing index in Vail is 149.
The Transportation index in Vail is 110.
The Utilities index in Vail is 103.
| Living Expense | Vail | Arizona | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 118 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 149 | 99 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 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 Vail is $412,783.
The Median Rent in Vail is $1,854.
The Median Income in Vail is $121,385.
The Home Value To Income in Vail is 3.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Vail is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Vail. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Tucson, AZ has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Vail.
Casas Adobes, AZ has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Vail.
Marana, AZ has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x Vail.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Vail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | 543,348 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Casas Adobes, AZ | 70,770 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Marana, AZ | 54,487 | 118 | 1.0x |
| Catalina Foothills, AZ | 51,756 | 137 | 1.2x |
| Oro Valley, AZ | 47,595 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Sahuarita, AZ | 35,012 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Green Valley, AZ | 21,581 | 107 | 0.9x |
| Tanque Verde, AZ | 15,531 | 138 | 1.2x |
| Tucson Estates, AZ | 12,687 | 99 | 0.8x |
| Saddlebrooke, AZ | 12,616 | 135 | 1.1x |