Cost of Living in Arizona: A Guide for Homebuyers

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If you’re considering moving to Arizona, knowing the full scope of the southwest state’s cost of living can help you make plans to relocate with confidence.

In this guide, we will break down what makes up the cost of living in Arizona, from housing expenses to food and healthcare costs. We’ll provide data from state cost of living index tools and how Arizona ranks in the nation for livability.

We’ll also share an invaluable set of additional online resources to measure and compare the cost of living expenses in different Arizona cities and communities.

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What makes up the ‘cost of living’ in Arizona?

When you’re planning to live in a new state, the cost of living there will be a combination of expenses required to maintain your desired lifestyle. Statista, a leading market data platform, defines “cost of living” as “the monetary cost of goods and services necessary to maintaining a certain standard of living.”

This overall cost will vary significantly based on location, even within the state. But the core living expenses you’ll pay for typically include the following categories:

  • Housing (rent/mortgage)
  • Energy (utilities)
  • Food (groceries)
  • Transportation (vehicles or transit systems)
  • Healthcare (doctors, hospitals, etc.)

However, the costs often extend beyond these basics to cover other expenses, such as:

  • Clothing
  • Education
  • Childcare
  • Entertainment

These elements, when combined, establish the core costs associated with a particular way of living. However, your standard of living will vary based on several factors, including your income, debts, and how different the cost of living is in your residence vs. your possible new home of Arizona.

Let’s take a quick look at some ways you can compare your current living costs with what you might experience if you move relocate to the Grand Canyon State.

What’s the Arizona cost of living index (CLI)?

A cost of living index (CLI) monitors how much these basic expenses change over time in different cities or regions. They provide a quick way to compare the price of maintaining a certain standard of living.

The CLI is calculated by assessing the price of essential goods and services such as housing, food, healthcare, and transportation in different areas.

An index is typically standardized, with a base city or region assigned a baseline index value (often set at 100). Other cities or regions are then compared against this benchmark. For example, an Arizona or city with a CLI of 120 would signify that living there is 20% more expensive than the base location, while an index of 80 indicates it’s 20% less expensive.

A cost of living index will typically break down and score each basic expense by category. Here are separate scores for Arizona from the worldpopulationreview.com Cost of Living Index:

  • Groceries: 101.80
  • Housing: 125.30
  • Utilities: 94.30
  • Transportation: 99.20
  • Health: 93.50
  • Miscellaneous: 102.10

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