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 | Phoenix | Riverside | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,711/mo | 22.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $485,500 | 29.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $83,448 | 13.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 91.7 | 13.5% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 89.6 | 39.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 99.5 | 5.2% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 108.7 | 4.2% 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 Phoenix, you'd need $129,426 in Riverside to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 22.7% cheaper overall than Riverside, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in Phoenix than in Riverside. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $103,541 in Riverside to keep the same standard of living.