City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 2.0% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $102,000 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Anchorage, AK to Phoenix, AZ ($120,348 → $111,338), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,004 in Phoenix | $102,036 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
75 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Anchorage, AK
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Anchorage → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,564 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $78,117 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,629 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,338 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,568 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $59,180 | $60,385 (−23.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $131,750 | $134,433 (+29.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,820 | $82,466 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $100,830 | $102,883 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.