Moving to Arizona from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pennsylvania to Arizona — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 3.0% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $74,940 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 61°F in Harrisburg, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pennsylvania to Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $74,940
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.2% more
Groceries
pay 13.4% less
Transportation
pay 5.5% less
Housing
pay 20.1% more
Childcare
pay 32.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.9% more
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 Pennsylvania to Arizona.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.
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
Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania performs better than Arizona across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Arizona performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania 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 | Harrisburg | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harrisburg | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Pennsylvania?
Costs in Arizona and Pennsylvania 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 $18,735 in Arizona on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Arizona safe?
Pennsylvania performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.
