{"id":437995,"date":"2025-12-10T14:20:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/437995\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T14:20:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:20:12","slug":"phoenix-has-a-lower-cost-of-living-than-these-3-suburbs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/437995\/","title":{"rendered":"Phoenix has a lower cost of living than these 3 suburbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a Valley resident looking to turn in big city life for cheaper housing<\/a> and a lower cost of living, you may find yourself looking at Phoenix\u2019s many suburbs. But if you end up in three of the hottest suburbs \u2014 Tempe, Gilbert and Scottsdale \u2014 your cost of living will actually go up.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what the personal finance website GOBankingRates<\/a> found in a new study comparing major American cities to their top suburbs.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, people and families look to leave downtown cores for the \u2018burbs, allowing them to trade in their one-bedroom apartments<\/a> for single-family homes with backyards. But GOBankingRates revealed 15 major cities that have a lower annual cost of living than nearby suburbs.<\/p>\n

Relying on U.S. Census Bureau data, the company identified the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas and examined the cost-of-living difference between the major cities and three suburbs with at least 5,000 households and the highest livability index scores. For Phoenix, that\u2019s Gilbert, Scottsdale and Tempe. Mesa, the largest suburb in the Valley, was not included in the study.<\/p>\n

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In Phoenix, the median household income is roughly $77,000 and the cost of living<\/a> is nearly $53,000. The cost of living in Scottsdale, Gilbert and Tempe is higher, according to the study. Scottsdale boasts the highest cost of living at more than $87,000 a year. Gilbert\u2019s cost of living is more than $63,000 a year \u2014 $10,000 more than Phoenix \u2014 while Tempe edges Phoenix<\/a> out with a cost of living of $56,604.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, of course. After all, the median household income in Gilbert is $121,000, a whopping $58,000 higher than the cost of living. Scottsdale\u2019s median household income is $107,000, topping the cost of living by $20,000. Money doesn\u2019t go quite as far in Tempe, which has a similar median household income of $77,000 but less of it left after expenses.<\/p>\n

Then again, if you moved to Gilbert now, it\u2019s not as if your salary would automatically jump $50,000. So, if you\u2019re looking for a cheaper cost of living in a Phoenix suburb, maybe look west. Or even outside the state entirely<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a more detailed breakdown of Phoenix and its suburbs:<\/p>\n

Phoenix<\/strong><\/p>\n