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 | Waltham | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $2,141/mo | 38.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $679,000 | 49.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $113,443 | 36.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.7 | 100.0 | 2.3% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 102.9 | 133.9 | 23.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 104.2 | 101.3 | 2.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 103.9 | ≈ 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 $117,382 in Waltham to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 14.8% cheaper overall than Waltham, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Phoenix than in Waltham. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $93,906 in Waltham to keep the same standard of living.