on $100k a year, leaving San Jose
changea dispatch from
phoenix
AZ
33.45°N
112.07°W
Phoenix is sun, saguaros, and a valley so wide you can drive 45 minutes in a straight line and still be in greater Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert blooms wildly in spring, the monsoon storms in late summer are theatrical, and the hiking on Camelback or Piestewa Peak is a sunrise ritual. Pools and shaded patios are basically infrastructure, and the locals have the rhythm of a desert day dialed.
in our guides
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than San Jose
Move to Phoenix and the monthly math gets easier. San Jose's rent is the headline; Phoenix's is a footnote.
a quick ledger.
$1,739/mo
50% cheaper than San Jose(vs $3,470/mo)
2.5%
$567/mo less in state tax than San Jose
vs 9.3% in San Jose
$6,386/mo
$2,298 more than San Jose
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$458k
74% cheaper than San Jose
vs $1796k in San Jose
5.1M
vs 1.9M in San Jose
field notes, weather & such.
181
pleasant days a year, in phoenix.
San Jose has the edge here, logging 283 pleasant days a year. The trade is summer: 133 days above 95°, vs 19 in San Jose.
3.2× the events of San Jose, and the calendar shows it.
66/100
6% lower than San Jose
vs 70/100 in San Jose
Closest outdoor draw: Sierra Estrella Wilderness Area, 20.4 mi.
97/100
2% higher than San Jose
vs 95/100 in San Jose
91
214% more than San Jose
vs 29 nonstops in San Jose
cities that play in phoenix's register:
compare phoenix with:
