City comparison
Durham, 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 5.9% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $105,900 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,190 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Durham, NC to Phoenix, AZ ($111,147 → $111,338), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,887 in Phoenix | $94,440 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/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 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,190/yr.
51 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,190/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Durham → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,564 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $78,117 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,629 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,338 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,568 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $59,180 | $55,890 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $131,750 | $124,425 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $80,820 | $76,327 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $100,830 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.