Question 1

Is Denver or Phoenix cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Phoenix, AZ is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $300/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,839/mo in Phoenix.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Phoenix?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,000/year before tax in Denver, CO and $75,500/year in Phoenix, AZ — a difference of about $8,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or Phoenix cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Phoenix, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $8,304/month in Denver and $7,719/month in Phoenix, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or Phoenix?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Phoenix costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Denver57	Phoenix62
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,471	$4,171
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,304	$7,719
Salary for comfort	$84,000/yr	$75,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,839
Median home value	$586,700	$381,900
Median household income	$91,681	$77,041
Unemployment	3.8%	4.0%
Housing score	32	44
Jobs score	41	37
Safety score	35	45
Climate score	93	72
Amenities score	64	92
Population	713.7K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	92° / 20°	106° / 46°

Denver, CO vs Phoenix, AZ