City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.1% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $112,100 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Memphis, TN to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +12.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,082 in Phoenix | $89,220 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Memphis, TN to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Memphis → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $59,180 | $52,801 (−14.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $131,750 | $117,548 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $80,820 | $72,108 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $100,830 | $89,961 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.