Cost of Living in Arizona (AZ)

Compare costs across 11 Arizona cities. From home services to salaries, see how AZ stacks up against the national average.

11
Cities
108
Avg Cost Index
$67K
Avg Income
Direct Answer

Arizona's average cost index is 108, which is above the national baseline of 100. Tucson is the most affordable tracked city in AZ at index 93, while Sedona is the most expensive at index 140.

The gap between the cheapest and most expensive tracked cities is 47 index points, so state-level averages should be used as a map, not a final budget.

State cost overviewBLS, Census, HUD inputsLast verified May 2026
Arizona Highlights: Most affordable city: Tucson (index 93). Most expensive: Sedona (index 140). The gap between cheapest and most expensive is 47 index points.

What Drives the Statewide Cost Picture?

Average index
108/100

Arizona is above the national cost baseline across tracked cities.

Cheapest city
Tucson

Tucson has a cost index of 93.

Most expensive
Sedona

Sedona has a cost index of 140.

Income average
$67K

Average median household income across 11 tracked AZ cities.

Cheapest and Most Expensive Cities in Arizona

CityPopulationCost IndexMedian IncomeTier
Phoenix1.6M103$57Kmajor
Tucson543K93$45Kmid
Mesa504K101$60Kmid
Chandler276K105$89Kmid
Gilbert268K108$95Kmid
Glendale248K97$53Kmid
Scottsdale241K118$95Kmid
Peoria191K102$74Kmid
Tempe181K104$58Kmid
Flagstaff72K115$53Ksmall
Sedona10K140$62Ksmall

Arizona State Taxes (2026)

Headline tax rates that affect your real take-home pay and total cost of living in Arizona.

State Income Tax
2.5%
flat system
Combined Sales Tax
8.4%
5.6% state + 2.8% avg local
Property Tax (Effective)
0.62%
~$1,860/yr on a $300K home
Income tax: Arizona uses a flat income tax at 2.5%. No state estate tax. Estimate your take-home pay

State Planning Checklist

  1. Start with Tucson if the priority is lowest recurring cost inside Arizona.
  2. Compare Sedona against salary and tax advantages before assuming the higher-cost city is worse.
  3. Use city pages for rent, salary, insurance, and local service costs before making a relocation decision.

Cost by Category Across Arizona

Compare Cities Within Arizona

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