Moving to Arizona from Maine

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Maine to Arizona — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Maine to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 7.5% cheaper than Maine. A $75,000 salary in Maine would need to be roughly $73,576 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 77°F in Augusta, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Maine to Arizona.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,576

To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.2% less

Groceries

pay 7.8% less

Transportation

pay 4.1% more

Housing

pay 13.4% more

Childcare

pay 45.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.1% 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Maine to Arizona.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ME
101
AZ
398
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

ME
1105
AZ
1752

Maine performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

ME
6.4%
AZ
10.0%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

ME
33.2%
AZ
33.6%

Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult smoking rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

ME
$266,400
AZ
$358,900
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

ME
$1,084
AZ
$1,431

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

ME
89.2%
AZ
90.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

ME
24 min
AZ
26 min

Maine generally does better on infrastructure, though Arizona leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ME
3.2%
AZ
4.0%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ME
$54,958
AZ
$58,628

Maine generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

ME
77.8 yrs
AZ
76.3 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

ME
25%
AZ
21%

Maine 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)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Augusta Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1107 mm)
77° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Augusta Phoenix
Jan–Mar 63°/37°F (17°/3°C) 73°/49°F (23°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) 95°/69°F (35°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/67°F (33°/20°C) 103°/80°F (40°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 69°/42°F (21°/6°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C)
View all months
Month Augusta Phoenix
Jan 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C) 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C)
Feb 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C)
Mar 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C)
Apr 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C)
May 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C) 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C)
Jun 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C) 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C)
Jul 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C) 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C)
Sep 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C) 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C)
Oct 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C) 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C)
Nov 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C) 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C)
Dec 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C) 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Maine?

Costs in Arizona and Maine are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Arizona?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,394 in Arizona on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Arizona safe?

Maine performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Maine?

Maine generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult smoking rate.

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

The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 77°F in Augusta. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Augusta gets 43.6 in.

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