Median rent is 14% lower in Phoenix ($1,582/mo vs $1,841/mo). Buying is cheaper in Phoenix, where the median home runs $420,700 versus $465,900. Households earn more in Plano ($112,253 vs $81,332 a year).
City A
Phoenix, AZ
City B
Plano, TX
How much would you need to earn in Plano, TX to maintain your standard of living from Phoenix, 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
Phoenix
Arizona
Plano
Texas
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 rent is modestly lower in Phoenix at $1,582/mo compared to $1,841/mo in Plano (14% gap). Median home values are within 10% of each other: $420,700 in Phoenix and $465,900 in Plano.
Metric
Phoenix
Plano
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.
Phoenix
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Plano
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Phoenix has cleaner air on average: 28.0 AQI (Good) compared to 55.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Plano if you prioritize higher median household income ($112,253/yr).
Pick Phoenix if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,582/mo median).
Pick Phoenix if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 28.0).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,582/mo in Phoenix, AZ and $1,841/mo in Plano, TX. Phoenix, AZ has the lower rent by about 14%.
Median household income is $81,332 in Phoenix, AZ and $112,253 in Plano, TX. Plano, TX has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Phoenix, AZ has better air quality on average: 28.0 AQI versus 55.0 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
