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 | Madison | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,291/mo | $1,322/mo | 2.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $326,600 | $340,200 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $74,895 | $72,092 | 3.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.9 | 103.1 | 0.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 90.5 | 123.5 | 26.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.9 | 102.5 | 7.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 96.3 | 101.2 | 4.9% 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 Madison, you'd need $106,097 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Madison, WI is about 5.7% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 2% lower in Madison than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Madison, you'd need about $84,877 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.