City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 3.3% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $103,300 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.8% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Phoenix, AZ ($107,228 → $111,338), while prices change by +3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,311 in Phoenix | $96,795 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
59 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Palm Bay → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $64,564 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $78,117 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $93,629 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $111,338 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $131,568 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $59,180 | $57,283 (−8.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $131,750 | $127,528 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $80,820 | $78,230 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $100,830 | $97,599 (+20.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.