City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 13.1% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $113,100 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,396 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Fayetteville, AR | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,095 in Phoenix | $88,421 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,396/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,396/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Fayetteville → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $59,180 | $52,328 (−14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $131,750 | $116,495 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,820 | $71,462 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $100,830 | $89,155 (+14.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.