Living Cost Compare
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

vs
Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,460 in Mesa, AZ versus $1,500 in Tacoma, WA. Overall, Mesa, AZ is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tacoma, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,779 in Mesa, AZ and $83,857 in Tacoma, WA — about 6% higher in Tacoma, WA. Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Mesa, AZ
Tacoma, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,209
$1,178
+3% in Mesa, AZ
1 Bedroom
$1,288
$1,332
+3% in Tacoma, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,458
$1,693
+16% in Tacoma, WA
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$2,094
+15% in Tacoma, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$364,300
$454,600
+25% in Tacoma, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$78,779
$83,857
+6% in Tacoma, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,380
$72,610
+41% in Tacoma, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.2 yr
37.3 yr
+0.1 yr in Tacoma, WA
Homeownership
64.4%
56.5%
+7.9 pp in Mesa, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.5%
33.5%
+2.0 pp in Tacoma, WA
Avg Commute
25.0 min
29.0 min
+4.0 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
486.2
1,064.4
+119% in Tacoma, WA
Property Crime
1,488
5,695.2
+283% in Tacoma, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
75.1°F
52.1°F
+23.0°F in Mesa, AZ
Annual Precipitation
8.0 in
43.0 in
+35.0 in in Tacoma, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.12/gal
+1% in Tacoma, WA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Washington.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
14.9
+2% in Mesa, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.44
$20.41
+9% in Mesa, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AZ / WA)
5.6%
6.5%
+0.9 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
2.50%
None
+2.5 pp in AZ

Mesa vs Tacoma — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Mesa or Tacoma?
Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Tacoma, WA's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Mesa than in Tacoma?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Mesa versus $53,000 in Tacoma.
Which has lower taxes, Mesa or Tacoma?
Mesa is taxed under Arizona's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax); Tacoma under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).