Cost of Living in Phoenix, AZ (2026)

Phoenix's cost of living is 3% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $96,790 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Phoenix has a cost-of-living index of 103 against a US average of 100 — about 3% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $96,790 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Phoenix

MeasurePhoenixUS average
Cost-of-living index103100
Median rent$1,458/mo-
Median home value$381,900-
Median household income$77,041-
Population1,624,832-

Monthly cost breakdown in Phoenix

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,458$2,218
Transport$1,088$1,088
Food$856$856
Healthcare$537$537
Other$1,910$1,910
Total$5,849$6,609

Affordability in Phoenix

Median rent takes about 22.7% of the median household income in Phoenix — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 5.0x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Phoenix

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$141,280$136,746
Software Developer$125,890$121,849
Data Scientist$109,500$105,986
Physical Therapist$99,600$96,403
Mechanical Engineer$98,430$95,271
Registered Nurse$89,390$86,521
Police Officer$87,140$84,343
Financial Analyst$82,810$80,152

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Phoenix’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Phoenix has a cost-of-living index of 103 against a US average of 100, so it is about 3% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Phoenix has roughly the purchasing power of $96,790 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Phoenix's median rent of $1,458/month that implies about $58,320 a year before tax. The median household in Phoenix earns $77,041.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $5,849 a month in Phoenix across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $6,609 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Phoenix costs $381,900, which is 5.0x the median household income of $77,041. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Phoenix is manageable but tight.