Cost of Living: Ames, IA vs Phoenix, AZ
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,184/mo in Ames, IA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 15.15% of gross in Ames, IA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Ames, IA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Ames, IA and Phoenix, AZ.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Ames, IA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Ames, IA
- Lower home prices: Ames, IA
- Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ
Cost of Living Index
Ames, IA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)
Ames, IA has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Ames, IA: $988/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo
Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $397/mo higher than in Ames, IA.
Median Home Price
Ames, IA: $263,800 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900
Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $118,100 higher than in Ames, IA.
Median Household Income
Ames, IA: $60,102 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041
Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Ames, IA by $16,939.
Ames, IA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons