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 | Melbourne | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,303/mo | $1,322/mo | 1.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $247,300 | $340,200 | 27.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $60,917 | $72,092 | 15.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.0 | 97.7 | 0.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 90.1 | 102.9 | 12.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.4 | 104.2 | 4.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.6 | 104.0 | 6.2% 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 Melbourne, you'd need $105,870 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Melbourne, FL is about 5.5% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Melbourne than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Melbourne, you'd need about $84,696 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.