City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 1.4% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $101,400 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,363 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Portland, ME ($111,338 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.8% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,589 in Portland | $101,431 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,363/yr.
70 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,363/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Portland, ME | Real change, Phoenix → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $69,905 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $84,579 | +9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $101,375 | +9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $120,548 | +9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $142,452 | +9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $76,770 | $77,869 (+31.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $128,710 | $130,552 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $79,790 | $80,932 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $88,470 | $89,736 (−11.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.