Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Phoenix

Arizona

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,430 in Phoenix, AZ. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Phoenix, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $77,041 in Phoenix, AZ — about 32% higher in Phoenix, AZ. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Phoenix, AZ

Rent

Studio
$741
$1,127
+52% in Phoenix, AZ
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,253
+63% in Phoenix, AZ
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,493
+46% in Phoenix, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,771
+52% in Phoenix, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$381,900
+196% in Phoenix, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$77,041
+47% in Phoenix, AZ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$51,380
+10% in Phoenix, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
34.8 yr
+3.3 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
57.1%
+3.2 pp in Phoenix, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
32.3%
+10.0 pp in Phoenix, AZ
Avg Commute
18.7 min
25.7 min
+7.0 min in Phoenix, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
799.6
+34% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
2,338.9
+37% in Evansville, IN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.4°F
75.1°F
+18.7°F in Phoenix, AZ
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
8.2 in
+37.1 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% 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)
18.1
15.2
+16% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$22.44
+64% 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 Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Phoenix, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Evansville, IN
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 (IN / AZ)
7%
5.6%
+1.4 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
2.50%
+0.5 pp in IN

Evansville vs Phoenix — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Phoenix?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Phoenix?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $50,000 in Phoenix.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Phoenix?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% 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).