Median rent is 27% lower in Omaha ($1,187/mo vs $1,620/mo). Buying is cheaper in Omaha, where the median home runs $245,500 versus $408,000. Households earn more in Mesa ($82,752 vs $73,201 a year).
City A
Mesa, AZ
City B
Omaha, NE
How much would you need to earn in Omaha, NE to maintain your standard of living from Mesa, 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
Mesa
Arizona
Omaha
Nebraska
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
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Omaha — median rent of $1,187/mo versus $1,620/mo in Mesa, a 27% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Mesa: the median home is $408,000 versus $245,500 in Omaha — 40% more expensive.
Metric
Mesa
Omaha
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Mesa
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Omaha
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Mesa has cleaner air on average: 32.0 AQI (Good) compared to 42.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Mesa if you prioritize higher median household income ($82,752/yr).
Pick Omaha if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,187/mo median).
Pick Mesa if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 32.0).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,620/mo in Mesa, AZ and $1,187/mo in Omaha, NE. Omaha, NE has the lower rent by about 27%.
Median household income is $82,752 in Mesa, AZ and $73,201 in Omaha, NE. Mesa, AZ has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Mesa, AZ has better air quality on average: 32.0 AQI versus 42.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
