City comparison
Madison, WI vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 6.2% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $106,200 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,628 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Madison, WI to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,197 in Phoenix | $94,165 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,628/yr.
51 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,628/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Madison, WI to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Madison → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $59,180 | $55,727 (−12.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $131,750 | $124,062 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $80,820 | $76,104 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $100,830 | $94,946 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.