City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 7.9% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $107,900 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,569 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Syracuse, NY ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,669 in Syracuse | $107,911 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,569/yr.
93 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,569/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Phoenix → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $78,560 | $84,775 (+43.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $129,100 | $139,313 (+5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $82,230 | $88,735 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $86,960 | $93,839 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.