Is $31,000 a good salary in Arizona?

$31,000 in Arizona provides a monthly take-home of approximately $2,187 after taxes. Across major Arizona cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-341.

What is the cost of living on $31,000 in Arizona?

The average monthly living cost across major Arizona cities is approximately $2,528 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $31,000 take-home pay of $2,187/month, you would have roughly $-341/month remaining.

Living in Arizona · 2026

Is $31,000 enough to live in Arizona?

Single adult · AZ · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$2,187

Avg monthly expenses

$2,528

Avg monthly surplus

$-341

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Arizona

Gross salary$31,000

Federal income tax− $1,614

State income tax− $775

Social Security− $1,922

Medicare− $450

Annual take-home$26,239

Effective tax rate15.36%

How $31,000 feels in Arizona cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Phoenix

COL index: 1.12× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,450

Food

$449

Transport

$196

Utilities

$185

Healthcare

$224

Total: $2,504/mo

Surplus: $-317/mo

Rent burden: 66.3% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Phoenix analysis →

Tucson

COL index: 0.94× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,100

Food

$409

Transport

$165

Utilities

$155

Healthcare

$188

Total: $2,017/mo

Surplus: $170/mo

Rent burden: 50.3% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Tucson analysis →

Mesa

COL index: 1.09× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$440

Transport

$191

Utilities

$180

Healthcare

$218

Total: $2,429/mo

Surplus: $-242/mo

Rent burden: 64.0% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Mesa analysis →

Chandler

COL index: 1.14× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,520

Food

$462

Transport

$199

Utilities

$188

Healthcare

$228

Total: $2,597/mo

Surplus: $-410/mo

Rent burden: 69.5% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Chandler analysis →

Scottsdale

COL index: 1.31× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,850

Food

$519

Transport

$229

Utilities

$216

Healthcare

$262

Total: $3,076/mo

Surplus: $-889/mo

Rent burden: 84.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Scottsdale analysis →

Tempe

COL index: 1.12× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,480

Food

$458

Transport

$196

Utilities

$185

Healthcare

$224

Total: $2,543/mo

Surplus: $-356/mo

Rent burden: 67.7% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Tempe analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,187 ($26,244/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$1,094

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$656

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$437

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$13,122

Wants / year

$7,873

Savings / year

$5,249

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Phoenix

Rent alone would take 66% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $58,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 1.8/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $31,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Phoenix, Arizona. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $317, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Phoenix's above-average cost of living (index: 1.12) means $31,000 provides the purchasing power of roughly $27,679 in an average-cost US city, or $32,661 in Austin. Moving to a lower-cost state could effectively increase your take-home by thousands.

State & National Benchmark

$31,000 is 26% below the Arizona individual median of $41,900. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$41,900

-26%

State household median

$70,821

-56%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$31,000 vs. Arizona income benchmarks

Individual median (Arizona)

$41,900

-26% vs. this salary

Household median (Arizona)

$70,821

-56% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Arizona

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.