Cost of Living: Watsonville, CA vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Watsonville, CA versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 25.99% of gross in Watsonville, CA versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Phoenix, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Watsonville, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Watsonville, CA
25.99%
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 Watsonville, CA and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

Watsonville, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Watsonville, CA: $1,695/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Watsonville, CA is $310/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Home Price

Watsonville, CA: $657,700 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Watsonville, CA is $275,800 higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Household Income

Watsonville, CA: $74,785 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Watsonville, CA by $2,256.

Watsonville, CA overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons