City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.2% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $112,200 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 $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,190 a year higher in Winston, NC than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Winston, NC ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,089 in Winston | $112,248 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,190/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,190/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Winston, NC | Real change, Phoenix → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $56,510 | $63,431 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $124,130 | $139,333 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $78,950 | $88,619 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $86,120 | $96,668 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.