Cost of Living: Richmond, VA vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,181/mo in Richmond, VA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 19.15% of gross in Richmond, VA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Richmond, VA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Richmond, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Richmond, VA
19.15%
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 Richmond, VA and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

Richmond, VA: 93.8 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Richmond, VA: $1,249/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $136/mo higher than in Richmond, VA.

Median Home Price

Richmond, VA: $328,100 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $53,800 higher than in Richmond, VA.

Median Household Income

Richmond, VA: $62,671 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Richmond, VA by $14,370.

Richmond, VA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons