Before you decide to relocate to Arizona, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Arizona that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 54 places in Arizona with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Arizona for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Arizona For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Arizona? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Paradise Valley is the most expensive place to live in Arizona.
Guadalupe (the cheapest place to live in Arizona) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Arizona and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Arizona For 2024
/10
Population: 12,672
Cost Of Living Index: 237
Median Income: $221,333
Average Home Price: $3,234,281
Home Price To Income Ratio: 14.6x
More on Paradise Valley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Paradise Valley is 237. The median income in Paradise Valley comes in at $221,333 and the average home value is $3,234,281 for 2024.
/10
Population: 9,739
Cost Of Living Index: 136
Median Income: $62,901
Average Home Price: $903,499
Home Price To Income Ratio: 14.4x
More on Sedona: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Sedona is 136. The median income in Sedona comes in at $62,901 and the average home value is $903,499 for 2024.
/10
Population: 240,537
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $104,197
Average Home Price: $798,175
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.7x
More on Scottsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Scottsdale is 126. The median income in Scottsdale comes in at $104,197 and the average home value is $798,175 for 2024.
/10
Population: 76,177
Cost Of Living Index: 119
Median Income: $65,652
Average Home Price: $630,887
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.6x
More on Flagstaff: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Flagstaff is 119. The median income in Flagstaff comes in at $65,652 and the average home value is $630,887 for 2024.
/10
Population: 23,739
Cost Of Living Index: 119
Median Income: $100,317
Average Home Price: $640,087
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.4x
More on Fountain Hills: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Fountain Hills is 119. The median income in Fountain Hills comes in at $100,317 and the average home value is $640,087 for 2024.
/10
Population: 6,794
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $117,601
Average Home Price: $535,888
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Litchfield Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Litchfield Park is 116. The median income in Litchfield Park comes in at $117,601 and the average home value is $535,888 for 2024.
/10
Population: 47,053
Cost Of Living Index: 115
Median Income: $101,394
Average Home Price: $500,520
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.9x
More on Oro Valley: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Oro Valley is 115. The median income in Oro Valley comes in at $101,394 and the average home value is $500,520 for 2024.
/10
Population: 267,267
Cost Of Living Index: 112
Median Income: $115,179
Average Home Price: $566,231
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.9x
More on Gilbert: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Gilbert is 112. The median income in Gilbert comes in at $115,179 and the average home value is $566,231 for 2024.
/10
Population: 46,054
Cost Of Living Index: 112
Median Income: $66,330
Average Home Price: $591,042
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.9x
More on Prescott: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Prescott is 112. The median income in Prescott comes in at $66,330 and the average home value is $591,042 for 2024.
/10
Population: 61,788
Cost Of Living Index: 111
Median Income: $127,182
Average Home Price: $627,569
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.9x
More on Queen Creek: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Queen Creek is 111. The median income in Queen Creek comes in at $127,182 and the average home value is $627,569 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Grand Canyon State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Arizona are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Arizona to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 54 places in Arizona that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Arizona according to the data is Paradise Valley. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Arizona.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Arizona For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Arizona that have the highest cost of living, with Paradise Valley ranking as the most expensive city in the Grand Canyon State.
The most expensive cities in Arizona are Paradise Valley, Sedona, Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Fountain Hills, Litchfield Park, Oro Valley, Gilbert, Prescott, and Queen Creek.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Arizona according to the data:
- Guadalupe
- Bullhead City
- Coolidge
For more Arizona reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Arizona
- Cheapest Places To Live In Arizona
- Most Dangerous Cities In Arizona
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Arizona
- Safest Places In Arizona
- Worst Places To Live In Arizona
Most Expensive Cities In Arizona
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paradise Valley | 237 | 12,672 | $221,333 | $3,234,281 | 14.6x |
| 2 | Sedona | 136 | 9,739 | $62,901 | $903,499 | 14.4x |
| 3 | Scottsdale | 126 | 240,537 | $104,197 | $798,175 | 7.7x |
| 4 | Flagstaff | 119 | 76,177 | $65,652 | $630,887 | 9.6x |
| 5 | Fountain Hills | 119 | 23,739 | $100,317 | $640,087 | 6.4x |
| 6 | Litchfield Park | 116 | 6,794 | $117,601 | $535,888 | 4.6x |
| 7 | Oro Valley | 115 | 47,053 | $101,394 | $500,520 | 4.9x |
| 8 | Gilbert | 112 | 267,267 | $115,179 | $566,231 | 4.9x |
| 9 | Prescott | 112 | 46,054 | $66,330 | $591,042 | 8.9x |
| 10 | Queen Creek | 111 | 61,788 | $127,182 | $627,569 | 4.9x |
| 11 | Payson | 110 | 16,363 | $60,095 | $432,786 | 7.2x |
| 12 | Chandler | 109 | 275,618 | $99,374 | $519,175 | 5.2x |
| 13 | Lake Havasu City | 109 | 57,294 | $64,027 | $459,760 | 7.2x |
| 14 | Marana | 109 | 52,542 | $105,624 | $431,013 | 4.1x |
| 15 | Goodyear | 108 | 97,542 | $97,307 | $479,397 | 4.9x |
| 16 | Sahuarita | 106 | 34,238 | $97,133 | $360,541 | 3.7x |
| 17 | Surprise | 104 | 145,591 | $87,756 | $432,141 | 4.9x |
| 18 | Prescott Valley | 104 | 47,015 | $66,617 | $449,398 | 6.7x |
| 19 | Peoria | 102 | 191,292 | $86,759 | $485,980 | 5.6x |
| 20 | Sierra Vista | 102 | 45,212 | $70,899 | $283,365 | 4.0x |
| 21 | Tempe | 100 | 181,005 | $72,022 | $474,681 | 6.6x |
| 22 | Show Low | 100 | 11,767 | $57,406 | $418,453 | 7.3x |
| 23 | Chino Valley | 99 | 13,120 | $55,682 | $477,451 | 8.6x |
| 24 | Phoenix | 98 | 1,609,456 | $72,092 | $417,187 | 5.8x |
| 25 | Mesa | 98 | 503,390 | $73,766 | $431,607 | 5.9x |
| 26 | Maricopa | 98 | 59,605 | $88,795 | $361,705 | 4.1x |
| 27 | Camp Verde | 98 | 12,132 | $50,247 | $408,890 | 8.1x |
| 28 | Snowflake | 98 | 6,192 | $71,029 | $326,502 | 4.6x |
| 29 | Cottonwood | 97 | 12,314 | $43,273 | $385,989 | 8.9x |
| 30 | Avondale | 96 | 89,214 | $76,496 | $401,338 | 5.2x |
| 31 | Safford | 96 | 10,112 | $64,860 | $244,967 | 3.8x |
| 32 | Wickenburg | 96 | 7,600 | $63,301 | $526,044 | 8.3x |
| 33 | Thatcher | 95 | 5,281 | $71,591 | $304,034 | 4.2x |
| 34 | Glendale | 94 | 248,083 | $66,375 | $405,468 | 6.1x |
| 35 | Tucson | 93 | 541,033 | $52,049 | $324,757 | 6.2x |
| 36 | Page | 93 | 7,444 | $79,521 | $358,463 | 4.5x |
| 37 | Yuma | 91 | 96,314 | $59,312 | $284,259 | 4.8x |
| 38 | El Mirage | 91 | 35,652 | $72,134 | $355,004 | 4.9x |
| 39 | Nogales | 91 | 19,761 | $36,682 | $205,633 | 5.6x |
| 40 | Globe | 91 | 7,230 | $64,516 | $213,967 | 3.3x |
| 41 | Tolleson | 91 | 7,221 | $47,875 | $389,180 | 8.1x |
| 42 | Winslow | 89 | 8,943 | $43,918 | $177,709 | 4.0x |
| 43 | Casa Grande | 88 | 55,186 | $64,535 | $324,372 | 5.0x |
| 44 | San Luis | 88 | 35,189 | $46,747 | $234,684 | 5.0x |
| 45 | Douglas | 87 | 16,301 | $41,594 | $148,672 | 3.6x |
| 46 | Florence | 86 | 25,783 | $74,025 | $358,475 | 4.8x |
| 47 | Somerton | 86 | 14,278 | $64,180 | $257,097 | 4.0x |
| 48 | Benson | 86 | 5,318 | $49,955 | $239,970 | 4.8x |
| 49 | Apache Junction | 85 | 38,855 | $56,209 | $366,015 | 6.5x |
| 50 | Kingman | 84 | 33,052 | $56,360 | $265,190 | 4.7x |
| 51 | Eloy | 84 | 16,075 | $57,364 | $247,454 | 4.3x |
| 52 | Coolidge | 83 | 14,175 | $60,682 | $286,315 | 4.7x |
| 53 | Bullhead City | 82 | 41,593 | $47,129 | $301,043 | 6.4x |
| 54 | Guadalupe | 82 | 5,335 | $56,423 | $259,445 | 4.6x |
