City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 2.3% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $102,300 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 23% in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Reno, NV ($111,338 → $106,855), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,772 in Reno | $102,279 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
76 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Reno, NV | Real change, Phoenix → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,965 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,972 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,859 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,855 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $126,271 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $62,430 | $63,853 (+7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $125,710 | $128,575 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $82,370 | $84,247 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $107,520 | $109,970 (+9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.