The cheapest places to live in Arizona are like a housing oasis in the Arizona real estate desert. From small towns to bustling cities like Phoenix, Arizona offers a wide range of cheap living options without compromising on quality of life.
But how did we identify these affordable gems in Arizona? Our methodology is simple. We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Arizona Census data on median home prices, average incomes, and overall cost of living in every town across Arizona.
Let us walk you through the cities that are full of sunshine, close to the Grand Canyon, and easy on your wallet. These are the cheapest places to live in Arizona for 2026.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 most affordable places to live in Arizona
What is the cheapest place to live in Arizona? The cheapest place to live in Arizona is Douglas after looking at the data for the 55 largest cities in Arizona. This cheap city is packed with Native American culture and history near the Petrified Forest National Park.
If mummified wood and aliens don’t sound like fantastic pastimes to you, remember the best part about these Arizona cities: they are dirt cheap.
Check out some more reading about Arizona and the cheapest places in the country:
The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Arizona For 2026
/10
Population: 15,981
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $42,019
Median Home Price: $173,569
Median Rent: $772
For a city to be truly hip, it needs to be affordable. So it goes for our most affordable city in Arizona for 2026: Douglas. Located on the Arizona/Mexico border, this city scored a 6/10 for affordability and an 8.5/10 for diversity. We think that makes Douglas pretty hip.
When Douglas residents aren’t busy preparing for their annual cool, super hip, Cochise County Fair, they can be found earning the dream with jobs in public administration and education. Kudos to Douglas for keeping their townies employed, their economy strong, and their city super hip!
More on Douglas: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 8,773
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 88
Median Income: $58,346
Median Home Price: $203,633
Median Rent: $1,051
We can all agree that Winslow, Arizona is “such a fine sight to see,” but did you know that it’s also extremely affordable? So much, that It is our second most affordable city in Arizona for 2026. Once a railroad community, Winslow’s residents now find themselves working in education, transportation, and public service to offset their cost of living. We know why you scored an 8/10 on our snackability scale for affordability, Winslow. It shouldn’t be difficult to meet your cost of living head on with the median income hanging close to $58,346.
So do yourself and your wallet a favor, and get-a-movin’ to this affordable Navajo County city.
More on Winslow: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 37,337
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $59,400
Median Home Price: $238,910
Median Rent: $741
San Luis is a city in Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The population was 25,505 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Area. San Luis, located in the southwest corner of the state directly adjacent to Mexico’s Federal Highway 2, was the second fastest-growing city or town in Arizona from 1990 to 2000. According to 2014 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 31,091.
More on San Luis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 17,433
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 91
Median Income: $55,736
Median Home Price: $275,409
Median Rent: $978
Where the 10 meets the 8 in Southern Arizona, is our fourth most affordable city in The Copper State: Eloy.
This little ray of Arizona sunshine is 29th when it comes to home price to income ratio. They are, however, only 23rd when it comes to income to rent ratio. We’re not surprised it’s so affordable, but we’re pretty sure they want you to buy a home and stay awhile.
And if you’re the daredevil type, skydiving operations in Eloy employ the second largest number of residents. So, if not your hustle, maybe your side hustle? Either way, good luck!
More on Eloy: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 41,058
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $60,975
Median Home Price: $376,627
Median Rent: $1,146
Apache Junction takes the fifth spot on our list of the cheapest places to live in Arizona. It’s a welcome site for the town of 41,058 to make it up this high this year. It has both affordable homes and rents for places like it in Arizona. If you’re looking to move to a place where your dollar goes further, seriously consider Apache Junction.
Home to attractions like Lost Dutchman State Park and a ghost town or two, there’s plenty to do that won’t break your wallet, nevermind the bank.
More on Apache Junction: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Cops are on watch alot and am very grateful. You’re allowed to have a gun for protection permitting you’ve no past record. Certain yrs the traffic is horrendous and- If you’re a woman – Don’t walk after dark anywhere foolishly without reason. Lock your doors at night. My husband is otr every 2 wks. I appreciate the police here. I sleep with my.22 by my bed.
Not alot of things close except malls for shopping.
/10
Population: 19,841
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $43,214
Median Home Price: $220,631
Median Rent: $737
Nogales is a city in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The population was 20,837 at the 2010 census and estimated 20,407 in 2014. Nogales forms part of the larger Tucson-Nogales combined statistical area, with a total population of 1,027,683 as of the 2010 Census. The city is the county seat of Santa Cruz County.
More on Nogales: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 5,417
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $49,346
Median Home Price: $253,541
Median Rent: $783
Benson is a great place to live if you’re looking for affordability. With a median home value of $253,541 and a median rent of $783, it offers lower housing costs than many other areas in the state. In fact, Benson’s home price-to-income ratio is ranked 33rd in Arizona, meaning that it is relatively easy to purchase a home on an average income.
But Benson isn’t just affordable – it also offers a high quality of life. The city is located in a beautiful part of Arizona with easy access to outdoor recreation opportunities. Despite its small size, Benson has a strong community feel and hosts regular events and festivals throughout the year.
More on Benson: Data | Movers
/10
Population: 42,496
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $50,556
Median Home Price: $299,831
Median Rent: $1,079
Bullhead City ranks as the eighth most affordable city statewide for 2026.
With a cost of living index of 95, residents benefit from a housing market where the $299,831 median home value aligns with the local $50,556 median income.
The city’s position along the Colorado River offers free things to do with the family on weekends.
More on Bullhead City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
schools are awesome and the city has alot of places to go to
the school is good with great teachers who taught very well but theres always accidents or fires at random places. theres plenty of stores to go to which is good since if theres something one store doesnt have another does have
/10
Population: 16,636
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $67,023
Median Home Price: $270,014
Median Rent: $1,314
We’re pretty sure everyone has heard of Coolidge, Arizona by now. Not only are they our ninth most affordable city in Arizona for 2026, but they also made our best places to live in Arizona for 2026 list.
Once home to the Pueblo People, this city in Pinal County is now home to Central Arizona College. CAC has been supplying employees to C-towns strong economy for over 50 years. And you know what else C-town’s residents know? Apparently a good deal when they see it, because they are the second most affordable city for home price to income ratio.
More on Coolidge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,239
Overall Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $65,647
Median Home Price: $287,457
Median Rent: $1,048
At the base of the San Carlos Reservation, on the Arizona/ New Mexico border, is our tenth most affordable Arizona city for 2026: Safford. This Southern Arizona border town is home to the greatest percentage of young folks concentrated into one city on our list. And if we’ve learned anything about Millenials, they know a good deal.
So what’s drawing the ‘youngins’? Probably copper and gold. The largest employers in Safford are in the mining industry and education. Safford is home to the largest copper and gold mining facility in the country. This might explain why Safford has one of the highest median household incomes on our list: $65,647/year.
More on Safford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Cheapest places to live in Arizona FAQs
The county in Arizona with the lowest cost of living is Greenlee County. The average living wage in Greenlee County is $80,373 according to MIT data. Greenlee County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Arizona as a whole. Childcare costs $11,130 a year in Greenlee County for two children compared to the Arizona average of $11,735. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $9,048 per year in Greenlee County compared to $13,891 on average in Arizona.
The cost of living in Arizona is 3.5% lower than the US average. According to MIT, the required living wage for a family of four with two working parents in Arizona is $86,581 vs the national average for a family of four with two working parents of $89,744. The median income of a Arizona household is $61,529.
The cheapest housing market in Arizona is Page. The average home value in Page is $0, the lowest in the state. The average home value in Arizona is $242,000, almost nan times higher than Page.
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The county in Arizona with the lowest cost of living is Greenlee County. The average living wage in Greenlee County is $80,373 according to MIT data. Greenlee County has the lowest cost of living because it has relatively less expensive childcare and housing costs compared to Arizona as a whole. Childcare costs $11,130 a year in Greenlee County for two children compared to the Arizona average of $11,735. Housing costs, defined as a blend of the average rent and average mortgage payment, are $9,048 per year in Greenlee County compared to $13,891 on average in Arizona.
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Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Grand Canyon State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Arizona boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Arizona using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Arizona to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 55 places in Arizona that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Arizona with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Douglas.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Arizona.
Arizona Affordabilility Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Arizona for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Arizona.
The cheapest cities in Arizona are Douglas, Winslow, San Luis, Eloy, Apache Junction, Nogales, Benson, Bullhead City, Coolidge, and Safford.
Here’s a look at the most expensive cities in Arizona according to the data:
- Paradise Valley
- Scottsdale
- Sedona
For more Arizona reading, check out:
Cheapest Places To Live In Arizona
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas | 15,981 | 88 | $42,019 | $173,569 | $772 |
| 2 | Winslow | 8,773 | 88 | $58,346 | $203,633 | $1,051 |
| 3 | San Luis | 37,337 | 91 | $59,400 | $238,910 | $741 |
| 4 | Eloy | 17,433 | 91 | $55,736 | $275,409 | $978 |
| 5 | Apache Junction | 41,058 | 92 | $60,975 | $376,627 | $1,146 |
| 6 | Nogales | 19,841 | 92 | $43,214 | $220,631 | $737 |
| 7 | Benson | 5,417 | 92 | $49,346 | $253,541 | $783 |
| 8 | Bullhead City | 42,496 | 95 | $50,556 | $299,831 | $1,079 |
| 9 | Coolidge | 16,636 | 95 | $67,023 | $270,014 | $1,314 |
| 10 | Safford | 10,239 | 96 | $65,647 | $287,457 | $1,048 |
| 11 | Globe | 7,195 | 97 | $69,170 | $238,040 | $858 |
| 12 | Guadalupe | 5,272 | 97 | $51,354 | $243,844 | $872 |
| 13 | Casa Grande | 60,905 | 98 | $69,983 | $319,031 | $1,386 |
| 14 | Somerton | 14,574 | 98 | $74,015 | $271,557 | $896 |
| 15 | Kingman | 34,375 | 99 | $61,792 | $273,782 | $1,058 |
| 16 | Snowflake | 6,444 | 99 | $76,174 | $344,540 | $1,350 |
| 17 | Thatcher | 5,439 | 99 | $82,917 | $350,904 | $939 |
| 18 | Yuma | 100,139 | 100 | $65,482 | $301,507 | $1,114 |
| 19 | Tucson | 547,073 | 102 | $57,073 | $324,023 | $1,145 |
| 20 | Sierra Vista | 45,155 | 102 | $70,291 | $298,883 | $1,150 |
| 21 | Camp Verde | 12,521 | 102 | $69,203 | $431,371 | $1,059 |
| 22 | Show Low | 12,102 | 102 | $60,368 | $436,997 | $1,110 |
| 23 | El Mirage | 36,088 | 104 | $78,050 | $342,377 | $1,806 |
| 24 | Florence | 25,570 | 104 | $79,644 | $333,592 | $1,302 |
| 25 | Cottonwood | 12,580 | 104 | $48,448 | $397,513 | $1,120 |
| 26 | Tolleson | 7,668 | 105 | $59,626 | $394,929 | $1,309 |
| 27 | Page | 7,345 | 105 | $88,826 | $378,791 | $653 |
| 28 | Wickenburg | 8,059 | 107 | $67,600 | $513,341 | $991 |
| 29 | Glendale | 252,833 | 108 | $73,530 | $407,332 | $1,528 |
| 30 | Payson | 16,622 | 109 | $67,710 | $446,819 | $1,345 |
| 31 | Phoenix | 1,642,323 | 111 | $81,332 | $410,168 | $1,582 |
| 32 | Prescott Valley | 49,179 | 111 | $74,569 | $462,396 | $1,580 |
| 33 | Sahuarita | 35,862 | 111 | $104,680 | $353,394 | $1,837 |
| 34 | Mesa | 511,764 | 112 | $82,752 | $435,133 | $1,620 |
| 35 | Chino Valley | 13,602 | 112 | $61,237 | $500,150 | $1,248 |
| 36 | Avondale | 92,477 | 113 | $86,123 | $398,567 | $1,832 |
| 37 | Maricopa | 67,163 | 113 | $96,391 | $346,283 | $1,998 |
| 38 | Lake Havasu City | 58,359 | 113 | $70,148 | $463,713 | $1,320 |
| 39 | Surprise | 154,948 | 114 | $96,711 | $422,473 | $2,033 |
| 40 | Peoria | 196,906 | 116 | $95,815 | $488,595 | $1,843 |
| 41 | Tempe | 188,065 | 117 | $79,663 | $468,281 | $1,743 |
| 42 | Marana | 56,938 | 118 | $112,606 | $436,914 | $1,818 |
| 43 | Oro Valley | 48,162 | 121 | $107,117 | $506,583 | $1,669 |
| 44 | Goodyear | 107,645 | 122 | $103,319 | $469,424 | $1,956 |
| 45 | Prescott | 47,400 | 123 | $70,874 | $605,543 | $1,395 |
| 46 | Chandler | 280,136 | 125 | $108,095 | $524,155 | $1,902 |
| 47 | Litchfield Park | 6,916 | 126 | $126,250 | $525,410 | $1,922 |
| 48 | Cave Creek | 5,091 | 127 | $107,067 | $1,054,561 | $2,493 |
| 49 | Flagstaff | 76,445 | 128 | $71,512 | $656,480 | $1,645 |
| 50 | Gilbert | 280,262 | 129 | $122,551 | $572,507 | $2,110 |
| 51 | Queen Creek | 71,867 | 132 | $141,978 | $632,223 | $2,210 |
| 52 | Fountain Hills | 23,789 | 134 | $112,654 | $670,052 | $1,890 |
| 53 | Sedona | 9,777 | 141 | $73,738 | $909,102 | $1,448 |
| 54 | Scottsdale | 243,821 | 144 | $110,886 | $858,022 | $2,013 |
| 55 | Paradise Valley | 12,611 | 301 | $247,159 | $3,474,596 | $3,501 |