Cost of Living in Mesa, Arizona
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Mesa, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 513,656
- Median household income
- $85,580
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 103.3
- Unemployment rate
- 3.5%
Is Mesa a good place to live?
Mesa sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 96 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Mesa keeps $7,477 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living3% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,460 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,076 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Mesa
Prices in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area run 3% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 21% above the US average.
- Housing21% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)5% below the US average
- Utilities7% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)4% above the US average
- All items3% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,460 | $17,520 |
| Food | $469 | $5,628 |
| Transportation | $371 | $4,452 |
| Healthcare | $366 | $4,392 |
| Utilities | $243 | $2,916 |
| Total before taxes | $2,909 | $34,908 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Mesa | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,358 | $1,390 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,460 | $1,493 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,697 | $1,734 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,249 | $2,287 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,494 | $2,537 |
Living in Mesa
How Mesa compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Mesa | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,580 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $440,800 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,708 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 35.1% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.8% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 36.8 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 26.3 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 16.5% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 0.7% | 3.7% |
Home internet
7 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Mesa, led by Cox Communications, Tristate Wi-Fi by Wi-Fiber, T-Mobile, CenturyLink. Fiber reaches 45.8% of homes and 75.6% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Mesa
Pros and cons of living in Mesa
Pros
- Strong job market. Unemployment is 3.5%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
Cons
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 3% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in Mesa
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $51,380
- Federal income tax
- −$3,986
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,931
- State income tax
- −$1,076
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$17,520
- Everyday costs
- −$17,390
a year, or $623 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $131,750 | $63,322 |
| Registered nurse | $100,830 | $42,542 |
| Project manager | $100,780 | $42,507 |
| Accountant | $80,820 | $28,965 |
| Electrician | $61,210 | $15,130 |
| Carpenter | $60,320 | $14,439 |
| Truck driver | $59,770 | $14,010 |
| Teacher | $59,704 | $13,959 |
| Medical assistant | $46,830 | $3,936 |
| Nursing assistant | $45,290 | $2,736 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Mesa on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $6,473
- Civil engineer $35,417
- Data scientist $51,844
- Dental assistant $6,217
- Dental hygienist $43,689
- Dentist $105,032
- Diesel mechanic $16,780
- Financial analyst $38,382
- Firefighter $15,574
- HVAC technician $15,099
- Lawyer $65,903
- Licensed practical nurse $27,106
- Lineman $25,301
- Mechanical engineer $42,643
- Nurse practitioner $66,298
- Occupational therapist $45,412
- Paralegal $16,229
- Paramedic $9,051
- Pharmacist $71,711
- Pharmacy technician $4,660
- Physical therapist $44,164
- Physician assistant $65,231
- Plumber $17,108
- Police officer $31,835
- Radiologic technologist $38,464
- Respiratory therapist $28,246
- Social worker $8,588
- Speech-language pathologist $40,649
- Veterinarian $82,623
- Welder $11,495
Compare Mesa with other cities
Compare Mesa with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Mesa
6 licensed interstate movers are based in Mesa, and 68 more elsewhere in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Mesa, AZ a good place to live?
Mesa sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 96 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $51,380 and keeps $7,477 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Mesa?
Prices in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area are 3% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,460 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,449 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Mesa?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $41,800 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area earns $51,380.
What is the average rent in Mesa?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,358 for a studio, $1,460 for a 1-bedroom and $1,697 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Mesa at $1,708 a month (2024).
Does Mesa have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $51,380, Arizona state income tax comes to about $1,076 a year. Mesa has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Mesa?
7 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Mesa, led by Cox Communications, Tristate Wi-Fi by Wi-Fiber, T-Mobile, CenturyLink. 45.8% of homes can get fiber and 75.6% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate