Cost of Living: South Portland, ME vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,137/mo in South Portland, ME versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 24.02% of gross in South Portland, ME versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Phoenix, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in South Portland, ME
$4,137/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in South Portland, ME
24.02%
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 South Portland, ME and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

South Portland, ME: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

South Portland, ME: $1,566/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in South Portland, ME is $181/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Home Price

South Portland, ME: $405,800 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in South Portland, ME is $23,900 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Household Income

South Portland, ME: $84,563 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

South Portland, ME has a higher median household income than Phoenix, AZ by $7,522.

South Portland, ME overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons