CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Phoenix, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
AZ
Phoenix
103.3
overall index
$1,725/mo rent

College Station is moderately cheaper than Phoenix — 13.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $90,800 in Phoenix. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+61.4%
College Station
75.1
Phoenix
121.2
🛒 Groceries+1.3%
College Station
93.8
Phoenix
95
🚗 Transportation+8.0%
College Station
101.1
Phoenix
109.2
🏥 Healthcare+8.1%
College Station
91.4
Phoenix
98.8
Utilities+10.5%
College Station
84.4
Phoenix
93.3

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Phoenix to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Phoenix, AZ
$90,800
$10,800 more needed in Phoenix

Formula: salary × (103.3 ÷ 91) = salary × 1.1352. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Phoenix, AZ

Median Home Price
$442,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
121.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.4×

Phoenix has 61.4% higher housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Phoenix, AZ

Median Household Income
$85,700
Per Capita Income
$48,800
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
1,608,139
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareReal EstateTourismFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Phoenix, AZ
4.1×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.