Median rent is 3% lower in Glendale ($1,528/mo vs $1,582/mo). Buying is cheaper in Glendale, where the median home runs $387,500 versus $420,700. Households earn more in Phoenix ($81,332 vs $73,530 a year).
City A
Glendale, AZ
City B
Phoenix, AZ
How much would you need to earn in Phoenix, AZ to maintain your standard of living from Glendale, AZ?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Glendale
Arizona
Phoenix
Arizona
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,528/mo in Glendale and $1,582/mo in Phoenix. Median home values are within 8% of each other: $387,500 in Glendale and $420,700 in Phoenix.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Glendale
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Phoenix
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Glendale averages 28.0 AQI (Good) and Phoenix averages 28.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Phoenix if you prioritize higher median household income ($81,332/yr).
Is Glendale cheaper than Phoenix?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Glendale vs Phoenix?
Median rent is $1,528/mo in Glendale, AZ and $1,582/mo in Phoenix, AZ. Glendale, AZ has the lower rent by about 3%.
Which has higher salaries — Glendale or Phoenix?
Median household income is $73,530 in Glendale, AZ and $81,332 in Phoenix, AZ. Phoenix, AZ has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Phoenix, AZ has better air quality on average: 28.0 AQI versus 28.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Glendale or Phoenix?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Phoenix to match my Glendale income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
