City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 7.1% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $107,100 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,190 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Asheville, NC to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,057 in Phoenix | $93,409 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,190/yr.
48 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,190/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Asheville → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $59,180 | $55,279 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $131,750 | $123,066 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $80,820 | $75,493 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $100,830 | $94,184 (+15.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.