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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: Arizona isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Gilbert proves it with a cost index of 119, the lowest in Arizona, and we've ranked all 12 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
#1 Ranked: Gilbert — cost index 119, rent $2,049/mo, income $121,351
9 of 12 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Value Ratio | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gilbert | 1,020 | 119 | $2,049 | Details |
| 2 | Goodyear | 926 | 110 | $1,767 | Details |
| 3 | Chandler | 918 | 113 | $1,848 | Details |
| 4 | Buckeye | 898 | 110 | $2,004 | Details |
| 5 | Surprise | 849 | 110 | $1,926 | Details |
| 6 | Peoria | 841 | 111 | $1,821 | Details |
| 7 | Scottsdale | 807 | 133 | $2,113 | Details |
| 8 | Mesa | 750 | 105 | $1,554 | Details |
| 9 | Phoenix | 741 | 104 | $1,556 | Details |
| 10 | Tempe | 719 | 108 | $1,679 | Details |
| 11 | Glendale | 681 | 103 | $1,544 | Details |
| 12 | Tucson | 562 | 97 | $1,399 | Details |
Let's be honest: Arizona isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Gilbert proves it with a cost index of 119, the lowest in Arizona, and we've ranked all 12 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Here's Gilbert by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 119. Rent: $2,049/month. Income: $121,351/year. Home price: $570,461. Population: 275,411. The strongest category is Utilities at 109; the most expensive is Housing at 147. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $1,848 more per year vs. the national median. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision.
Look, Rankings quantify the landscape. It lines up with what you'd expect. But the decision to move is personal. Use the spotlights above to zero in on 2-3 finalists, then run your actual salary through the calculator. The question isn't just "where is it cheapest?" — it's "where does my specific income buy the life I want?" Start here. Dig deeper on the linked city pages.
275,411 residents · Arizona
Real talk: Gilbert earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 119 cost index sits 7 points above the national baseline, and the $121,351 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $570,461 — $103,091 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 109, while Housing trails at 147.
111,805 residents · Arizona
Dive into Goodyear's numbers: cost index 110 (2 points below national average), rent $1,767/month, income $101,814, and a home price of $469,121. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 101, while Housing runs 124. With 111,805 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
280,167 residents · Arizona
The #3 spot goes to Chandler, and the breakdown explains why. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious. Renters here pay $1,848/month — saving renters $564 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 104, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 134. At a 21% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
108,909 residents · Arizona
Dive into Buckeye's numbers: cost index 110 (2 points below national average), rent $2,004/month, income $98,778, and a home price of $396,261. And for many people, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 101, while Housing runs 125. With 108,909 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
158,285 residents · Arizona
The #5 spot goes to Surprise, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,926/month — costing renters $372 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 101, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 125. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Gilbert ranks #1 in Arizona for this analysis with a cost index of 119 and median income of $121,351.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Gilbert (ranked #1) has a cost index of 119 and rent of $2,049/mo, while Tucson (ranked #12) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,399/mo — a 22-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Gilbert is $2,049/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $154 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Gilbert is $570,461, which is 4.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Arizona has a 2.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.37%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.51%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.