Cost of Living: Reading, PA vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,337/mo in Reading, PA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 14.83% of gross in Reading, PA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Reading, PA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Reading, PA
$4,337/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Reading, PA
14.83%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Reading, PA and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Reading, PA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Reading, PA
  • Lower home prices: Reading, PA
  • Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Reading, PA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Reading, PA has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Reading, PA: $967/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $418/mo higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Home Price

Reading, PA: $109,800 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $272,100 higher than in Reading, PA.

Median Household Income

Reading, PA: $45,599 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Reading, PA by $31,442.

Reading, PA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons