Is it cheaper to live in Overland Park or Phoenix?

Overland Park, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Overland Park versus $50,000 in Phoenix.

Which has lower taxes, Overland Park or Phoenix?

Overland Park is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Phoenix under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Overland Park vs Phoenix Cost of Living 2026

Overland Park

Kansas

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Overland Park, KS versus $1,430 in Phoenix, AZ. Overall, Overland Park, KS is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Phoenix, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $103,838 in Overland Park, KS and $77,041 in Phoenix, AZ — about 26% higher in Overland Park, KS. Kansas has a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Overland Park, KS

Phoenix, AZ

Rent

Studio

$1,270

$1,127

+11% in Overland Park, KS

1 Bedroom

$1,224

$1,253

+2% in Phoenix, AZ

2 Bedroom

$1,589

$1,493

+6% in Overland Park, KS

3 Bedroom

$1,828

$1,771

+3% in Overland Park, KS

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$384,400

$381,900

+1% in Overland Park, KS

Income

Median Household Income

$103,838

$77,041

+26% in Overland Park, KS

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$50,820

$51,380

+1% in Phoenix, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

34.8 yr

+3.8 yr in Overland Park, KS

Homeownership

61.5%

57.1%

+4.4 pp in Overland Park, KS

Bachelor's+ (25+)

62.9%

32.3%

+30.6 pp in Overland Park, KS

Avg Commute

19.9 min

25.7 min

+5.8 min in Phoenix, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

188.4

799.6

+324% in Phoenix, AZ

Property Crime

1,790.5

2,338.9

+31% in Phoenix, AZ

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

55.2°F

75.1°F

+19.9°F in Phoenix, AZ

Annual Precipitation

40.0 in

8.2 in

+31.9 in in Overland Park, KS

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)

15.7

15.2

+3% in Overland Park, KS

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$25.12

$24.74

+2% in Overland Park, KS

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 Overland Park, KS

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$7.36

+9% in Phoenix, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.01

+4% in Overland Park, KS

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 (KS / AZ)

6.5%

5.6%

+0.9 pp in KS

Income Tax (top rate)

5.58%

2.50%

+3.1 pp in KS

Overland Park vs Phoenix — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Overland Park or Phoenix?: Overland Park, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Phoenix, AZ's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Overland Park than in Phoenix?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $49,000 a year in Overland Park versus $50,000 in Phoenix.
Which has lower taxes, Overland Park or Phoenix?: Overland Park is taxed under Kansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% 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).