Cost of Living: Waco, TX vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Waco, TX versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 15.99% of gross in Waco, TX versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Waco, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Waco, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Waco, TX
15.99%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Waco, TX and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Waco, TX
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Waco, TX
  • Lower home prices: Waco, TX
  • Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Waco, TX: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Waco, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Waco, TX: $1,043/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $342/mo higher than in Waco, TX.

Median Home Price

Waco, TX: $199,600 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $182,300 higher than in Waco, TX.

Median Household Income

Waco, TX: $51,468 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Waco, TX by $25,573.

Waco, TX overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons