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 | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,224/mo | 8.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $349,500 | 2.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $67,540 | 6.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.1 | 102.2 | 0.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 123.5 | 122.0 | 1.2% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 102.5 | 100.6 | 1.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.2 | 98.7 | 2.6% higher 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 $95,966 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Salem, OR is about 4% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Salem than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $76,773 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.