City comparison
Minot, ND is about 1,200 miles (1,900 km) from Phoenix, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 1,400 miles, or about 24 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 Minot, ND to Phoenix, AZ takes about 2 h 19 min, covering roughly 1,200 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 48,038 in Minot — about 33.5× larger by population. By land area, Phoenix covers about 520 sq mi vs 28 sq mi for Minot.
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 | Minot | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $937/mo | $1,322/mo | 41.1% higher in Phoenix |
| Median home value | $241,900 | $340,200 | 40.6% higher in Phoenix |
| Median household income | $75,545 | $72,092 | 4.8% higher in Minot |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal (Phoenix slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 74.6 | 96.2 | 29.0% 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 Minot, you'd need $137,104 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Minot, ND is about 27.1% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 86% higher in Phoenix than in Minot. If you earn $80,000 in Minot, you'd need about $109,683 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.