City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Modesto, CA (104.1) and Phoenix, AZ (103.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Modesto, CA goes as far as $99,200 in Phoenix, AZ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −16.3% moving from Modesto, CA to Phoenix, AZ ($133,060 → $111,338), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.7% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,239 in Phoenix | $100,767 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/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 | $50,610 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
71 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Modesto → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $64,564 | −15.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $78,117 | −15.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $93,629 | −15.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $111,338 | −15.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $131,568 | −15.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $59,180 | $59,634 (−41.3%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $131,750 | $132,760 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $80,820 | $81,440 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $100,830 | $101,603 (−23.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.