Question 1

Is Detroit or Phoenix cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $122/month less than in Phoenix, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $1,839/mo in Phoenix.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Phoenix?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $75,500/year in Phoenix, AZ — a difference of about $2,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Phoenix cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit 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 Detroit or Phoenix?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit 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	Detroit59	Phoenix62
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$4,171
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$7,719
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$75,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$1,839
Median home value	$76,800	$381,900
Median household income	$39,575	$77,041
Unemployment	10.7%	4.0%
Housing score	62	44
Jobs score	37	37
Safety score	18	45
Climate score	87	72
Amenities score	82	92
Population	636.6K	1.6M
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	106° / 46°

Detroit, MI vs Phoenix, AZ