Cost of Living: Salem, OR vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,939/mo in Salem, OR versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Salem, OR versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Salem, OR tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Salem, OR
$3,939/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, OR
19.29%
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 Salem, OR and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Salem, OR: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $128/mo higher than in Salem, OR.

Median Home Price

Salem, OR: $382,400 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Salem, OR is $500 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Household Income

Salem, OR: $71,900 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Salem, OR by $5,141.

Salem, OR overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons