City comparison
Bismarck, ND is about 1,100 miles (1,800 km) from Phoenix, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 1,400 miles, or about 23 hours (about 2 days at 10 h/day) behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Bismarck, ND to Phoenix, AZ takes about 2 h 11 min, covering roughly 1,100 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Phoenix has a population of 1,609,456, vs 73,694 in Bismarck — about 21.8× larger by population. By land area, Phoenix covers about 520 sq mi vs 35 sq mi for Bismarck.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bismarck | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $969/mo | $1,322/mo | 36.4% higher in Phoenix |
| Median home value | $283,800 | $340,200 | 19.9% higher in Phoenix |
| Median household income | $76,014 | $72,092 | 5.4% higher in Bismarck |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal (Phoenix slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 76.5 | 96.2 | 25.7% higher in Phoenix |
| Transportation index | 91.7 | 104.1 | 13.5% higher in Phoenix |
| Healthcare index | 91.9 | 104.0 | 13.2% higher in Phoenix |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bismarck, you'd need $124,143 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bismarck, ND is about 19.4% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 44% higher in Phoenix than in Bismarck. If you earn $80,000 in Bismarck, you'd need about $99,314 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.