What it actually costs to live in Arizona.
Arizona’s cost-of-living index sits at 101 on the MERIC composite (national average = 100), ranking #25 of 51 jurisdictions for cost. That means a standard basket of goods + services in Arizona costs about 1% MORE than the US average. Median home price: $425,000. Population-weighted median rent across metros: $1,242/mo.
Arizona cost components
| Component | Arizona | National avg |
|---|---|---|
| COL index (basket) | 101 | 100 |
| Median home price | $425,000 | ~$420,000 |
| Median rent (pop-weighted) | $1,242/mo | ~$1,850/mo |
| Commute cost (proxy) | $204/mo | ~$185/mo |
Commute cost = avg metro commute minutes × $0.18/min × 2 trips × 22 work days. Refined BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey integration tracked for v1.
How Arizona compares
Of all 51 US jurisdictions, Arizona ranks #25 for cost. That places Arizona in the middle — moderate cost without being a particular outlier. For the live state-vs-state heat map see the interactive cost-of-living map.
Arizona metros — city-level cost
State averages hide major intra-state variation. Phoenix has very different housing dynamics than smaller Arizona metros. Click any city for the full home affordability breakdown.
- PhoenixCOL 106 · home $420,000rent $1,150/mo →
- TucsonCOL 91 · home $295,000rent $868/mo →
- ScottsdaleCOL 118 · home $725,000rent $2,100/mo →
- GilbertCOL 108 · home $495,000rent $1,750/mo →
- ChandlerCOL 106 · home $475,000rent $1,700/mo →
- TempeCOL 105 · home $420,000rent $1,550/mo →
- SurpriseCOL 100 · home $395,000rent $1,550/mo →
- GlendaleCOL 97 · home $370,000rent $1,400/mo →
- MesaCOL 101 · home $415,000rent $1,500/mo →
- PeoriaCOL 103 · home $435,000rent $1,600/mo →
Arizona cost of living — common questions
What is the cost of living in Arizona?
Arizona's MERIC cost-of-living index is 101 (national average = 100). That means a typical basket of goods + services in Arizona costs about 1% more than the US average.
What is the median home price in Arizona?
Arizona's state-level median home price is approximately $425,000 (Census ACS 2024). Metros vary significantly — see the top-metro list below for city-level breakdowns.
What is the median rent in Arizona?
Arizona's population-weighted median rent across metros in our dataset is approximately $1,242/mo. Major-metro rents typically run 30-80% above this state-level average.
Are there any Arizona-specific cost-of-living quirks?
Phoenix metro home prices appreciated ~75% from 2020–2023 then stabilized; summer cooling costs run $300–$600/month for a typical 2,000 sqft home — a unique AZ utility burden.
Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial · COL source: MERIC quarterly; home + rent: Census ACS 2024. Last verified 2026-04-19.