Moving to Arizona from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to Arizona — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 16.4% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $61,409 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer. How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to Arizona. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $61,409 To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 6.2% less Groceries pay 17.5% less Transportation pay 14.5% less Housing pay 9.8% less Childcare pay 42.4% less Entertainment and Sports pay 18.3% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Arizona cost about 22% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head How California and Arizona stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Arizona performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke California performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Arizona performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work California generally does better on infrastructure, though Arizona leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree California performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics. 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Generally yes: Arizona runs about 18% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $15,352 in Arizona for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit. Arizona performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. California performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
How's the healthcare?
What about housing?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Phoenix Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Phoenix Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than California?
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Is Arizona safe?
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to California?
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to California?
