Cost of living comparison
by state.
Compare states side by side to see how price levels, housing and income differ. Start with the big picture, explore the details, then estimate what the change could mean for your budget.
Click a state to change your destination. Keyboard: use arrow keys, then Enter.
Alaska and Hawaii are shown as insets. The line shows your selection, not a driving route.Arizona → California
California compared with Arizona
10.0%Higher overall price level in California.
Statewide price levels, not a prediction of your household bills.A closer look at the costs
All differences below compare your destination with your starting state. A higher figure is not automatically better or worse.
Housing rents
The housing-rent index compares rental housing price levels. Median rent below measures something different: the middle monthly gross rent among occupied rentals.
| Measure | Arizona | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rental housing price levels | 106.8 | 154.3 | 44.5% higher |
| Median gross rent / month | $1,543 | $2,036 | 32.0% higher |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $394,500 | $734,700 | 86.2% higher |
Goods
The goods index covers a broad basket of products. It is not a separate grocery, gasoline or clothing price survey.
| Measure | Arizona | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods price levels | 95.4 | 106.1 | 11.3% higher |
Utilities
This index compares utility price levels. Your bill also depends on the home, climate, provider and amount you use.
| Measure | Arizona | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility price levels | 92.3 | 158.9 | 72.1% higher |
Other services
This broad category covers services outside housing rents and utilities. It does not provide a separate childcare or restaurant budget.
| Measure | Arizona | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other service price levels | 102.8 | 102.6 | 0.2% lower |
Life beyond the price index
Income, housing access and your daily routine help put the cost differences in context.
| Measure | Arizona | California | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual household income | $79,964 | $99,122 | 24.0% higher |
| Unemployment rate · BLS 2024 | 3.6% | 5.3% | 1.7 pts |
| Mean one-way commute | 27.2 min | 30.5 min | 3.3 min |
| Population | 7,378,838 | 39,287,377 | 432.4% higher |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 55.9% | -11.5 pts |
| Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 33.3% | 37.1% | 3.8 pts |
| Residents without health insurance | 10.5% | 6.6% | -3.9 pts |
More context for your move
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Electricity, taxes, migration & arrival tasks
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Where the numbers come from
Data snapshot checked against OSG’s central dataset on September 29, 2026. The figures have different reference periods; this page does not describe live prices.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis: Regional Price Parities, 2024 — overall, goods, housing rents, utilities and other services indexes. U.S. average = 100.
- U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates — housing, household income, population, commuting, education and insurance. Estimates describe the full five-year period.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Local Area Unemployment Statistics — 2024 annual unemployment averages. The occupation section uses its separately labeled OEWS period.
Method: percentage difference = (destination index ÷ starting index − 1) × 100. Budget and income estimates = your input × destination overall index ÷ starting overall index. The overall index is published by BEA; it is not a simple average of the four category differences.
Limits: statewide statistics hide local variation. Census estimates have sampling uncertainty; small differences may not be meaningful. Confirm rent, insurance, utilities, childcare and taxes for the actual location and household before deciding.
Questions about comparing states
How is the cost-of-living difference calculated?
OSG divides the destination state’s BEA Regional Price Parity by the starting state’s index, subtracts one, then multiplies by 100. The comparison uses the same data year for both states. Reversing the direction changes the percentage because the starting value changes.
Why do the housing numbers tell different stories?
The BEA housing-rent index compares rental housing price levels. Census median gross rent is the middle rent paid among occupied rentals and includes applicable tenant-paid utilities. Median home value describes owner-occupied homes. These measures use different methods and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Does the income estimate account for taxes?
No. It adjusts your entered annual income using the overall price-index ratio. It does not calculate take-home pay, benefits, deductions or household-specific expenses. Use it as a broad purchasing-power scenario, then build a budget with local quotes.
Are these today’s prices?
No. The main comparison uses BEA 2024 price indexes, Census ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates and BLS 2024 annual unemployment averages. These are statistical reference periods, not live listings. Extra sections label their own years.
Can I compare individual grocery, childcare or restaurant prices?
This version compares broad goods and services indexes. It does not have a verified item-price dataset for those categories. Add actual local prices to your household budget instead of treating a broad index as the price of one item.
Can I save or print my comparison?
Use Copy comparison link to save the selected state pair. Your income and budget inputs are not included in that link. Print / Save PDF includes the visible comparison and budget results. Financial inputs are used in your browser and are not submitted by this tool.
Turn this comparison into a moving plan
Check the salary target, combine your tax estimates, budget the first year, and prepare your state-specific checklist.