Moving to Missouri from Arizona

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Arizona to Missouri? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Arizona to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 3.1% cheaper than Arizona. A $75,000 salary in Arizona would need to be roughly $65,122 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°F vs 87°F in Phoenix, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Arizona and Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $65,122

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 13.3% less

Groceries

pay 4.2% more

Transportation

pay 16.7% more

Housing

pay 25.8% less

Childcare

pay 10.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Missouri compared to Arizona.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
398
MO
453
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
1752
MO
2070

Arizona performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

AZ
10.0%
MO
8.9%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AZ
33.6%
MO
37.5%

Arizona generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

AZ
$358,900
MO
$215,600
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

AZ
$1,431
MO
$996

Missouri performs significantly better than Arizona across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AZ
90.5%
MO
88.3%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

AZ
26 min
MO
24 min

Arizona generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AZ
4.0%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AZ
$58,628
MO
$56,344

Arizona generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

AZ
76.3 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

AZ
21%
MO
22%

Arizona generally does better on family life, though Missouri leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

PhoenixRain: 8.2 in/yr (208 mm)
87°/63°F

Avg. annual high / low

ColumbiaRain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66°/46°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsPhoenixColumbia
Jan–Mar73°/49°F (23°/10°C)47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun95°/69°F (35°/20°C)76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep103°/80°F (40°/27°C)86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec77°/54°F (25°/12°C)55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
MonthPhoenixColumbia
Jan69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C)40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C)45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C)67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C)75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C)85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C)90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C)88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C)80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C)68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C)55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C)42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Missouri than Arizona?

On average Missouri is about 13% less expensive than Arizona, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Budget about $16,280 for 3 months in Missouri (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Missouri safe?

Arizona performs better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Arizona?

Arizona generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Missouri leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Missouri compared to Arizona?

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 87°F in Phoenix. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Phoenix gets 8.2 in.

Share this