ARIZONA’S COST of LIVING
Anyone planning to relocate needs to know just how far their paychecks will stretch in their new, adopted city. After all, if you’re used to inexpensive mortgages or rental prices, reasonable grocery bills and affordable health care, you don’t want to be surprised if the bills skyrocket when you choose to move to another city. The good news is that, in Phoenix and Tucson, when compared to cities that are about the same size, your hard- earned dollar will likely stretch a bit further – and that attracts people to the area. In fact, since 2015, Phoenix and Tucson have experienced thriving population growth leading the way with the highest and second-highest growth rate of any Arizona city or town! The Cost of Living Index (COLI) ranks a range of living expenses in major cities. Compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research – a national organization dedicated to economic development and
policy research – the index measures differences between areas in the cost of consumer goods and services, minus taxes and non-consumer expenditures. The index also measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas, like groceries, housing, utilities and more. The average for a participating place – both metropolitan and non-metro – is 100, and each participant’s index is read as a percentage of the average for all places. In Phoenix and Tucson, you’ll find yourself paying about the same for transportation, utilities, health care, and other goods and services as with other, similar sized cities. And when it comes to necessities like housing and groceries, Phoenix and Tucson prices remain affordable. Whether you’re thinking about moving here, or are already here, it’s easy to see that Arizona measures up not only in terms of quality of life, but also with its affordability.
When it comes to overall cost of living, Phoenix and Tucson are still quite affordable places to live and work. Here’s how they ranked in comparison to other major U.S. cities (2023 1st Quarter).
City
Composite
Grocery 15.73%
Housing
Utilities 9.06%
Transportation
Healthcare
Misc.
100% 109.4 129.4 153.4 107.4
28.1%
8.53% 122.7 109.9 131.8 138.5
4.83%
33.75%
Atlanta Austin Boston Chicago Cleveland
98.8 96.7
112
103.6
98.8
99.8
159.6 260.6
99.1
101.6
100.4 129.1 107.3 104.4 105.2 102.8 149.4 100.1
111.4
116.8
89.7
97.2 93.5 99.1
99.1 23.1 92.9
92.8 94.9
88
72.3
90.5
82.8 98.1 83.9
Dallas/Ft. Worth
101
100
117.1 116.1
Denver
127.8 221.4 108.7 102.4
101.9 120.4
184.3
96.2
New York (Manhattan)
520
150.3 101.8
161
125.1
Phoenix
97.3
103.5 118.5 596.2
117.9
92.5 94.8
Raleigh
100.6 116.6 108.7
99.1 97.5 68.8 99.4
88.6
98.1
San Francisco
244
158.2 137.5
114.9
120.5 120.1
Seattle
167.8
309
88.2 85.4
Tucson
95.7
95.5
80.4
96.6
103
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