Davenport vs Mesa
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Davenport
Mesa
💡 The Verdict
Davenport is 11% cheaper than Mesa overall. A $75,000 salary in Davenport is equivalent to $84,375 in Mesa.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Davenport (left) vs Mesa (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Davenport versus Mesa. Differences shown from Davenport perspective.
| Item | Davenport | Mesa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $970/mo | $960/mo | +$10.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,280/mo | $1,350/mo | $-70.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,700/mo | $1,740/mo | $-40.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $1.99 | $2.62 | $-0.63 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.21 | $4.11 | $-0.90 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.71 | $2.89 | $-0.18 |
| Coffee (latte) | $4.94 | $5.46 | $-0.52 |
| Gas (gallon) | $2.91 | $3.47 | $-0.56 |
| Restaurant Meal | $12.04 | $15.49 | $-3.45 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Davenport has the same purchasing power as $84,375 in Mesa.
Conversely, $75,000 in Mesa equals $66,667 in Davenport.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1425 difference is driven by Iowa having a higher state income tax rate. Iowa details → · Arizona details →
Reading These Numbers: Davenport (88) vs Mesa (99)
Davenport at 88 is 12% below the US average, while Mesa at 99 is 1% below average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Davenport, the composite index of 88 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 89, followed by groceries (79), utilities (83), transportation (87), and healthcare (83). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,280/mo in Davenport and $1,350/mo in Mesa, the annual rent difference is approximately $840.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $4,200.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $36,000.0 difference in median home prices between Davenport and Mesa translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Davenport vs Mesa
Choosing between Davenport and Mesa involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Davenport and Mesa reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.