Laredo vs Mesa
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Laredo
Mesa
💡 The Verdict
Laredo is 13% cheaper than Mesa overall. A $75,000 salary in Laredo is equivalent to $86,337 in Mesa.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Laredo (left) vs Mesa (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Laredo versus Mesa. Differences shown from Laredo perspective.
| Item | Laredo | Mesa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $750/mo | $960/mo | $-210.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,050/mo | $1,350/mo | $-300.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,430/mo | $1,740/mo | $-310.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.53 | $2.62 | $-0.09 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.20 | $4.11 | $-0.91 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.00 | $2.89 | +$0.11 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.28 | $5.46 | $-0.18 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.02 | $3.47 | $-0.45 |
| Restaurant Meal | $13.16 | $15.49 | $-2.33 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Laredo has the same purchasing power as $86,337 in Mesa.
Conversely, $75,000 in Mesa equals $65,152 in Laredo.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1876 difference is driven by Arizona having a higher state income tax rate. Texas details → · Arizona details →
Reading These Numbers: Laredo (86) vs Mesa (99)
Laredo at 86 is 14% 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 Laredo, the composite index of 86 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 78, followed by groceries (87), utilities (84), transportation (86), and healthcare (95). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,050/mo in Laredo and $1,350/mo in Mesa, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,600.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $18,000.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $128,000.0 difference in median home prices between Laredo 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: Laredo vs Mesa
Choosing between Laredo 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 Laredo 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.