Cost of Living: Salem, MA vs Phoenix, AZ
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Salem, MA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 26.23% of gross in Salem, MA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Phoenix, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Salem, MA and Phoenix, AZ.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Salem, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Phoenix, AZ
- Lower home prices: Phoenix, AZ
- Higher median household income: Salem, MA
Cost of Living Index
Salem, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)
Salem, MA has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Salem, MA: $1,710/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo
Median rent in Salem, MA is $325/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.
Median Home Price
Salem, MA: $497,400 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900
Median home price in Salem, MA is $115,500 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.
Median Household Income
Salem, MA: $85,137 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041
Salem, MA has a higher median household income than Phoenix, AZ by $8,096.
Salem, MA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons