Mesa vs Peoria
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Mesa
Peoria
💡 The Verdict
Mesa is 1% cheaper than Peoria overall. A $75,000 salary in Mesa is equivalent to $75,758 in Peoria.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Mesa (left) vs Peoria (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Mesa versus Peoria. Differences shown from Mesa perspective.
| Item | Mesa | Peoria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $960/mo | $980/mo | $-20.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,350/mo | $1,390/mo | $-40.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,740/mo | $1,890/mo | $-150.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.62 | $2.63 | $-0.01 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.11 | $3.94 | +$0.17 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.89 | $3.28 | $-0.39 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.46 | $5.47 | $-0.01 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.47 | $3.22 | +$0.25 |
| Restaurant Meal | $15.49 | $16.17 | $-0.68 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Mesa has the same purchasing power as $75,758 in Peoria.
Conversely, $75,000 in Peoria equals $74,250 in Mesa.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
Both states have similar effective tax rates on this salary level. Arizona details → · Arizona details →
Reading These Numbers: Mesa (99) vs Peoria (100)
Mesa at 99 is 1% below the US average, while Peoria at 100 is 0% below average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Mesa, the composite index of 99 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 98, followed by groceries (99), utilities (96), transportation (103), and healthcare (95). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,350/mo in Mesa and $1,390/mo in Peoria, the annual rent difference is approximately $480.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $2,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $31,000.0 difference in median home prices between Mesa and Peoria 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: Mesa vs Peoria
Choosing between Mesa and Peoria 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 Mesa and Peoria 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.