City comparison
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 | Lowell | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,466/mo | $1,322/mo | 10.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $362,800 | $340,200 | 6.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $73,008 | $72,092 | 1.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 96.5 | 103.1 | 6.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 93.4 | 123.5 | 24.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 87.4 | 102.5 | 14.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.3 | 101.2 | 8.8% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lowell, you'd need $103,150 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 3.1% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 10% lower in Phoenix than in Lowell. If you earn $80,000 in Lowell, you'd need about $82,520 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.