Moving to Arizona from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to Arizona — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 10.2% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $68,898 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 60°F in Olympia, making it significantly warmer. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Washington to Arizona. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $68,898 To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 0.8% less Groceries pay 11.4% less Transportation pay 13.5% less Housing pay 6.7% more Childcare pay 38.1% less Entertainment and Sports pay 12.6% 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 13% less than cities in Washington. Compare cities head-to-head Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Washington to Arizona. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Washington generally does better on safety, though Arizona leads in property crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Washington 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 Washington across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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: Yes — Arizona is on average about 8% cheaper than Washington. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,224 in Arizona on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). Washington generally does better on safety, though Arizona leads in property crime rate. Washington performs better than Arizona across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Olympia Phoenix Jan–Mar 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) Apr–Jun 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) Jul–Sep 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) Oct–Dec 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) View all months
Month Olympia Phoenix Jan 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) Feb 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) Mar 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) Apr 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) May 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) Jun 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) Jul 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) Aug 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) Sep 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) Oct 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) Nov 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) Dec 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Washington?
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Is Arizona safe?
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What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Washington?
