Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Phoenix?

Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Phoenix?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $50,000 in Phoenix.

Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Phoenix?

Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Phoenix under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Davenport vs Phoenix Cost of Living 2026

Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

Phoenix

Arizona

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,430 in Phoenix, AZ. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Phoenix, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $77,041 in Phoenix, AZ — about 16% higher in Phoenix, AZ. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA

Phoenix, AZ

Rent

Studio

$726

$1,127

+55% in Phoenix, AZ

1 Bedroom

$777

$1,253

+61% in Phoenix, AZ

2 Bedroom

$962

$1,493

+55% in Phoenix, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,117

$1,771

+59% in Phoenix, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$162,900

$381,900

+134% in Phoenix, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$64,497

$77,041

+19% in Phoenix, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,550

$51,380

+6% in Phoenix, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.8 yr

34.8 yr

+3.0 yr in Davenport, IA

Homeownership

63.0%

57.1%

+5.9 pp in Davenport, IA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

32.3%

+2.3 pp in Phoenix, AZ

Avg Commute

18.7 min

25.7 min

+7.0 min in Phoenix, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

581.4

799.6

+38% in Phoenix, AZ

Property Crime

3,559.6

2,338.9

+34% in Davenport, IA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

49.3°F

75.1°F

+25.8°F in Phoenix, AZ

Annual Precipitation

36.0 in

8.2 in

+27.9 in in Davenport, IA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$5.21/gal

+35% in Phoenix, AZ

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Valley Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

15.2

+5% in Davenport, IA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$22.16

$24.74

+12% in Phoenix, AZ

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Phoenix, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$2.04

+23% in Phoenix, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Davenport, IA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Phoenix, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Davenport, IA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Phoenix, AZ

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / AZ)

5.6%

+0.4 pp in IA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.80%

2.50%

+1.3 pp in IA

Davenport vs Phoenix — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Phoenix?: Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Phoenix?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $50,000 in Phoenix.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Phoenix?: Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Phoenix under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).