Cost of Living: Washington, DC vs Phoenix, AZ
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,994/mo in Washington, DC versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 27.69% of gross in Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC and Phoenix, AZ.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Washington, DC
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Phoenix, AZ
- Lower home prices: Phoenix, AZ
- Higher median household income: Washington, DC
Cost of Living Index
Washington, DC: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)
Washington, DC has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Washington, DC: $1,805/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo
Median rent in Washington, DC is $420/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.
Median Home Price
Washington, DC: $724,600 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900
Median home price in Washington, DC is $342,700 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.
Median Household Income
Washington, DC: $106,287 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041
Washington, DC has a higher median household income than Phoenix, AZ by $29,246.
Washington, DC overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons