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 | San Mateo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $2,971/mo | 55.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $1,508,900 | 77.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $149,152 | 51.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
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 $224,736 in San Mateo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 55.5% cheaper overall than San Mateo, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 56% lower in Phoenix than in San Mateo. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $179,789 in San Mateo to keep the same standard of living.