City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 1.7% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $101,700 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,629 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Eugene, OR to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- 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
| Eugene, OR | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,721 in Phoenix | $98,308 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$5,629/yr.
63 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,629/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Eugene → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $59,180 | $58,179 (−9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $131,750 | $129,521 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $80,820 | $79,453 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $100,830 | $99,124 (−12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.