City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 5.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $105,600 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,645 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.1% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Richmond, VA ($111,338 → $111,183), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,717 in Richmond | $105,577 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,645/yr.
86 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,645/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Richmond, VA | Real change, Phoenix → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $64,475 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $78,009 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $93,499 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $111,183 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $131,385 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $61,290 | $64,708 (+9.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $132,120 | $139,489 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $84,220 | $88,917 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $93,580 | $98,799 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.