City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 4.5% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $104,500 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,889 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.1% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Phoenix, AZ ($117,284 → $111,338), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.2% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- 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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,511 in Phoenix | $95,684 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,889/yr.
55 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,889/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Atlantic City → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $64,564 | −9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $78,117 | −9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $93,629 | −9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $111,338 | −9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $131,568 | −9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $59,180 | $56,626 (−29.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $131,750 | $126,064 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $80,820 | $77,332 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $100,830 | $96,478 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.