Moving to Arizona from Nebraska
What to Expect
Considering a move from Nebraska to Arizona? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Nebraska to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 3.9% more expensive than Nebraska. A $75,000 salary in Nebraska would need to be roughly $80,317 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 63°F in Lincoln, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nebraska and Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $80,317
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.6% more
Groceries
pay 0.8% less
Transportation
pay 3.1% more
Housing
pay 30.2% more
Childcare
pay 9.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5% 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.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Arizona compared to Nebraska.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Nebraska generally does better on safety, though Arizona leads in property crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Nebraska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Nebraska generally does better on what about housing?, though Arizona leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Nebraska generally does better on infrastructure, though Arizona leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
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
Nebraska generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in median household income.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Nebraska 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lincoln | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/20°F (6°/-7°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/28°F (11°/-2°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lincoln | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/14°F (1.9°/-10.1°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/18°F (4.5°/-7.8°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/28°F (11.3°/-2.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 64°/39°F (17.9°/3.8°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.3°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (29.0°/16.1°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 89°/66°F (31.7°/18.9°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.4°/17.7°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/53°F (25.9°/11.9°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/41°F (18.8°/4.8°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 50°/28°F (10.2°/-2.4°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 37°/16°F (2.9°/-8.7°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Nebraska?
On average Arizona is around 7% pricier than Nebraska, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Budget about $20,079 for 3 months in Arizona (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Arizona safe?
Nebraska generally does better on safety, though Arizona leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Nebraska?
Nebraska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Nebraska?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 63°F in Lincoln. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Lincoln gets 28.9 in.
