City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 11.2% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $111,200 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 $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,091 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Lexington, KY to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.0% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (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
| Lexington, KY | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,225 in Phoenix | $89,908 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,091/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,091/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Lexington → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $59,180 | $53,207 (−13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $131,750 | $118,453 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $80,820 | $72,663 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $100,830 | $90,654 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.