Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Mesa?

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Mesa, AZ's $1,460, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Mesa?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $52,000 in Mesa.

Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Mesa?

Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Jacksonville vs Mesa Cost of Living 2026

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Mesa, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 15% higher in Mesa, AZ. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL

Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$1,209

+7% in Mesa, AZ

1 Bedroom

$1,146

$1,288

+12% in Mesa, AZ

2 Bedroom

$1,385

$1,458

+5% in Mesa, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,545

$1,819

+18% in Mesa, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,100

$364,300

+37% in Mesa, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$66,981

$78,779

+18% in Mesa, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,830

$51,380

+5% in Mesa, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

37.2 yr

+0.8 yr in Mesa, AZ

Homeownership

57.4%

64.4%

+7.0 pp in Mesa, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.8%

31.5%

+0.3 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Avg Commute

24.1 min

25.0 min

+0.9 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

557.6

485.8

+13% in Jacksonville, FL

Property Crime

2,599.5

1,487.8

+43% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

70.2°F

75.1°F

+4.9°F in Mesa, AZ

Annual Precipitation

49.2 in

8.0 in

+41.2 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.25/gal

$5.57/gal

+31% in Mesa, AZ

Area: Florida vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

$2.00

+14% in Mesa, AZ

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.9

15.6

+5% in Mesa, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.62

$19.69

+17% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.37

+5% in Mesa, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$2.10

+21% in Mesa, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Mesa, AZ

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$7.23

+10% in Mesa, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.14

+12% in Mesa, AZ

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.74

+21% in Mesa, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / AZ)

5.6%

+0.4 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

2.50%

+2.5 pp in AZ

Jacksonville vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Mesa?: Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Mesa, AZ's $1,460, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Mesa?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Mesa?: Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Mesa 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).