A+
4%
Overall NAT. AVG.
2%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
9%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index El Mirage Arizona National
Cost of living104101100
Goods & Services102104100
Groceries98102100
Health care8794100
Housing10997100
Transportation95106100
Utilities12495100

An Overview of Cost of Living in El Mirage, AZ

Understanding the cost of living in El Mirage can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The El Mirage cost of living index is 104, which is 4% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

The cost of living in El Mirage closely mirrors the national average in comparison to other cities nationwide. Essential items such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utilities are priced at a level consistent with similar urban areas. This means that residents of El Mirage can anticipate that their daily expenses will remain reasonably in line with those of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is El Mirage Affordable?

Wondering if El Mirage is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In El Mirage, for example, the median home price is 4.1% lower than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 37.8% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with El Mirage boasting a median household income of $59,975, which is 8.4% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in El Mirage?

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in El Mirage comes in at 23.6% higher than the national average.

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In El Mirage, the groceries index registers 1.7% lower than the national average.

Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In El Mirage, the transportation index is 4.7% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The El Mirage cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in El Mirage is 4% higher than the Arizona average
  • The cost of living in El Mirage is 4% higher than the national average
  • El Mirage housing is 9% higher than the national average
  • Arizona general sales tax is 10% higher than the national average
  • Arizona state income tax is 4% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around El Mirage

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Compare El Mirage, AZ Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$62,769$5,231$1,465$1,883
      Renters$54,864$4,572$1,280$1,646
      The affordability of the housing market in El Mirage, AZ as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among El Mirage homeowners, the median income is $62,769. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,465 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $54,864. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,280 for their rent related monthly costs.

      Arizona Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Arizona 5.6% 10.725%

      Arizona Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Arizona 2.5% 2.5%

      Goods & Services

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.78$24.2610.4%
      Beauty Salon $54.44$45.5619.5%
      Toothpaste $3.44$3.707.0%
      Shampoo $1.39$1.288.3%
      Movie $9.96$12.1317.9%
      Bowling $15.56$18.0013.6%

      Groceries

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.08$5.844.1%
      Fried Chicken $1.47$1.576.6%
      Milk $4.91$4.675.1%
      Potatoes $4.66$4.935.6%
      Pizza $13.34$12.0910.4%
      Beer $11.24$10.417.9%

      Health Care

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $102.06$125.6818.8%
      Doctor $93.86$135.7830.9%
      Dentist $100.07$113.2911.7%
      Ibuprofen $10.95$10.652.8%
      Lipitor $524.80$468.6012.0%

      Housing

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Home Price $177,200.00$184,700.004.1%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $3,647.01$2,346.6955.4%
      Apartment Rent $1,308.00$949.0037.8%

      Transportation

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.66$3.465.9%
      Tire Balancing $61.78$59.923.1%

      Utilities

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $147.32$193.9924.1%
      Phone $190.63$192.250.8%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Goodyear Village, AZ2778613.9%
      Deer Creek, AZ184945.6%
      Youngtown, AZ6,8371000.3%
      Sun City, AZ38,8881021.9%
      Tolleson, AZ7,3401000.2%
      El Mirage, AZ35,7021044.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Temple City, CA35,69918080.3%
      Foothill Farms, CA35,71112121.0%
      Cooper City, FL35,71513938.8%
      South Miami Heights, FL35,68311413.5%
      Parkland County, AB35,675n/a 
      El Mirage, AZ35,7021044.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.