City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 1.1% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $101,100 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 $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Fresno, CA to Phoenix, AZ ($106,973 → $111,338), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,134 in Phoenix | $98,879 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
65 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Fresno → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $64,564 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $78,117 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $93,629 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $111,338 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $131,568 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $59,180 | $58,517 (−25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $131,750 | $130,273 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $80,820 | $79,914 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $100,830 | $99,700 (−20.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.