Cost of Living in Sun City West, AZ

An Overview of Cost of Living in Sun City West, AZ

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Sun City West? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Sun City West stands at 110, making it 10% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the Sun City West cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 28.7% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

Is Sun City West Affordable?

Wondering if Sun City West 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 Sun City West, for example, the median home price is 28.5% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 29.2% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Sun City West boasting a median household income of $54,444, which is 1.6% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Sun City West?

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Sun City West, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 5.6%, and income tax rates start at 2.55%.

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 Sun City West comes in at 23.6% higher than the national average.

Transportation: In cities with limited or no public transportation, residents may find it necessary to own and maintain vehicles, thereby elevating the cost of living. Monthly expenditures include fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potential lease or financing commitments. In Sun City West, the transportation index stands at 4.7% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Sun City West 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.