Cost of Living in Arizona: Cities where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest in 2024
What is the cost of living in the state of Arizona? doxo breaks down key insights about Arizona’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Arizona, doxo’s data reveals, pays $2,184 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 64 cities and towns across Arizona, breaking down localized bill pay data figures. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Arizona and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Arizona’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Arizona residents pay $2,184 in household bills a month
Arizona residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 21st out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Illinois ranks 20th, with annual monthly expenses of $2,204, and Delaware ranks 22nd, at $2,143.
Arizona’s household expenses, on average, are 2.7% higher than the national average of $2,126.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Arizona households spend 35% of their income on household bills.
Annually, Arizona residents pay $81 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Arizona by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Arizona
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $2,184 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $81 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 21 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 35%
- Difference from the National Average: 3.7% higher
Housing bill category drives Arizona’s high monthly bill expenses
The average Arizona household pays $2,184 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive cost, with both being considerably higher than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Arizona is $1,447, and average rent is $1,324, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,402 and rent bill of $1,300.
Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for Arizonans. The average auto loan bill in Arizona is $525 a month, which is more than the national average of $496.
Compared to the national average, utilities are a higher expense for residents of Arizona. The average household in the state pays $369 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $362.
Mobile Phone, by contrast, is more affordable in Arizona. While US residents on average spend $121 per month on mobile phone, in Arizona they spend $108.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Arizona Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Arizona Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Arizona Percent +/- National Average ($2,126) |
| Mortgage | $1,447 | $1,402 | 3% higher |
| Rent | $1,324 | $1,300 | 2% higher |
| Auto Loan | $525 | $496 | 6% higher |
| Utilities | $369 | $362 | 2% higher |
| Auto Insurance | $219 | $209 | 5% higher |
| Cable & Internet | $121 | $122 | 1% lower |
| Health Insurance | $131 | $114 | 15% higher |
| Mobile Phone | $108 | $121 | 11% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $88 | $85 | 4% higher |
| Life Insurance | $89 | $87 | 2% higher |
| Total | $2,184 | $2,126 | 2.7% higher |
Paradise Valley has the highest cost of living in Arizona for household bills
Residents of Paradise Valley pay the highest household bills in the state of Arizona, at an average of $3,403 per month. Scottsdale comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $3,067 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, the monthly bill basket makes up 24% of average household income in Paradise Valley and 33% in Scottsdale.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Arizona Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 64) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Paradise Valley | $3,403 | 24% |
| 2 | Scottsdale | $3,067 | 33% |
| 3 | Cave Creek | $2,847 | 29% |
| 4 | Litchfield Park | $2,707 | 29% |
| 5 | Queen Creek | $2,686 | 28% |
| 6 | Goodyear | $2,611 | 32% |
| 7 | Laveen | $2,598 | 32% |
| 8 | Gilbert | $2,532 | 26% |
| 9 | Chandler | $2,493 | 30% |
| 10 | Flagstaff | $2,411 | 42% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Eloy has the lowest cost of living in Arizona for household bills
Out of 64 cities and towns, Eloy is the most affordable place in Arizona, with residents paying $1,403 on average for household bills.
Bullhead City comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Arizona, with residents paying $1,506 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Arizona are Green Valley ($1,537 per month), Winslow ($1,551 per month), and Golden Valley ($1,560 per month).
10 Most Affordable Arizona Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (55-64 out of 64) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 55 | Douglas | $1,642 | 48% |
| 56 | Kingman | $1,626 | 38% |
| 57 | Safford | $1,608 | 31% |
| 58 | Globe | $1,595 | 30% |
| 59 | Nogales | $1,589 | 52% |
| 60 | Golden Valley | $1,560 | 38% |
| 61 | Winslow | $1,551 | 36% |
| 62 | Green Valley | $1,537 | 30% |
| 63 | Bullhead City | $1,506 | 40% |
| 64 | Eloy | $1,403 | 34% |
Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one, and doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Arizona’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for nearly 5,000 towns and cities across the country.