Houston vs Phoenix: Cost of Living
Phoenix is about 5% more expensive than Houston, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Houston at 98.629, Phoenix at 103.316.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Houston: 98.629
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Phoenix: 103.316
Salary parity ($100K in Houston)
$105K in Phoenix
If you earn $100K in Houston, you would need about $105K in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Houston
Rent price parity: 104.51 (U.S. average = 100)
Phoenix
Rent price parity: 121.236 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Houston) | Take-home (Houston) | Median (Phoenix) | Take-home (Phoenix) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $129K | $100K | $132K | $98K |
| Data Scientist | $107K | $84K | $115K | $86K |
| Registered Nurse | $100K | $79K | $101K | $77K |
| Accountant | $85K | $69K | $81K | $64K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $125K | $97K | $101K | $77K |
| Marketing Manager | $153K | $116K | $133K | $98K |
| Electrician | $59K | $50K | $61K | $50K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $65K | $54K | $59K | $49K |
| Police Officer | $75K | $61K | $85K | $67K |
| Chef | $45K | $39K | $61K | $50K |
| Financial Analyst | $102K | $80K | $95K | $73K |
| Civil Engineer | $101K | $80K | $90K | $70K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $63K | $53K | $63K | $51K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $59K | $50K | $61K | $50K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Houston (Texas state tax), Phoenix (Arizona state tax). A $100K salary nets about $79K in Houston vs $77K in Phoenix. Full assumptions: methodology.