Mesa, AZ vs Peoria, AZ

Mesa is moderately more affordable than Peoria, with a 10.7% lower cost of living index. Mesa scores 111 compared to 125 for Peoria, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Peoria can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Mesa is $1,478/month compared to $1,743/month in Peoria — a 15% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Mesa is more affordable at $364,300 median vs $429,400.

Median household income in Mesa is $78,779 compared to $93,403 in Peoria (-15.7%). While Peoria is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Mesa spend roughly 22.5% of their income on rent, more than the 22.4% in Peoria.