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 | West Des Moines | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,153/mo | 14.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $266,700 | 27.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $82,345 | 12.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.7 | 94.5 | 3.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.9 | 86.7 | 18.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 104.2 | 94.1 | 10.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 94.8 | 9.8% 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 $83,673 in West Des Moines to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
West Des Moines, IA is about 16.3% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in West Des Moines than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $66,938 in West Des Moines to keep the same standard of living.