City comparison
Gilbert, AZ is about 10 miles (10 km) from Mesa, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 8 min 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 Gilbert, AZ to Mesa, AZ takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 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.
Mesa has a population of 503,390, vs 267,267 in Gilbert — about 1.9× larger by population. By land area, Mesa covers about 140 sq mi vs 69 sq mi for Gilbert.
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 | Gilbert | Mesa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,839/mo | $1,352/mo | 36.0% higher in Gilbert |
| Median home value | $454,300 | $327,700 | 38.6% higher in Gilbert |
| Median household income | $115,179 | $73,766 | 56.1% higher in Gilbert |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.2 | 96.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Gilbert, you'd need $98,666 in Mesa to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mesa, AZ is about 1.3% cheaper overall than Gilbert, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Gilbert than in Mesa. If you earn $80,000 in Gilbert, you'd need about $78,932 in Mesa to keep the same standard of living.