B-
9%
Overall NAT. AVG.
6%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
10%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; 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 living109101100
Goods & Services106105100
Groceries103102100
Health care7993100
Housing11096100
Transportation107102100
Utilities139104100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in El Mirage, AZ

Getting a feel for the cost of living in El Mirage is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in El Mirage is 109, which is 9% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.

In El Mirage, daily expenses such as food, housing, goods and services, transportation and health care are in line with comparable areas and about average when compared to all cities across the nation. This ensures that the cost of living in El Mirage will resemble that of an average city, contributing to a manageable cost of living.

Is El Mirage Affordable?

Is El Mirage affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in El Mirage, the median home price is 1.1% lower than the national average and monthly rent prices are 36.4% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with El Mirage boasting a median household income of $88,696, 9.1% higher than the national average.

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

Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In El Mirage, the housing index stands at 10.1% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In El Mirage, healthcare costs are 21.1% lower than the national average.

Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In El Mirage, the groceries index is 3.2% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The El Mirage cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in El Mirage is 8% higher than the Arizona average
  • The cost of living in El Mirage is 9% higher than the national average
  • El Mirage housing is 10% 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

See all the best places to live around El Mirage

Compare El Mirage, AZ Cost of Living

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      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$94,855$7,905$2,213$2,846
      Renters$83,037$6,920$1,937$2,491
      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 $94,855. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,213 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $83,037. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,937 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 $30.35$27.629.9%
      Beauty Salon $52.19$51.112.1%
      Toothpaste $4.00$4.092.3%
      Shampoo $1.58$1.542.5%
      Movie $12.38$12.883.9%
      Yoga $30.00$19.6652.6%

      Groceries

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.64$7.700.8%
      Fried Chicken $1.48$1.6611.0%
      Milk $4.87$4.732.9%
      Potatoes $4.72$5.2610.2%
      Pizza $13.72$12.767.5%
      Beer $11.40$10.558.1%

      Health Care

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $128.39$140.068.3%
      Doctor $119.44$153.8222.3%
      Dentist $104.45$123.1515.2%
      Ibuprofen $11.93$11.731.7%
      Lipitor $13.17$23.6144.2%

      Housing

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Home Price $323,070.00$326,622.001.1%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,144.43$2,480.2513.5%
      Apartment Rent $1,969.00$1,444.0036.4%

      Transportation

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.18$3.064.0%
      Tire Balancing $75.23$65.2115.4%

      Utilities

      Item El Mirage National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $361.42$220.1264.2%
      Phone $190.07$195.712.9%
      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, AZ283918.9%
      Deer Creek, AZ189990.5%
      Youngtown, AZ7,0441054.9%
      Sun City, AZ39,8731066.2%
      Tolleson, AZ7,5101044.1%
      El Mirage, AZ36,7291099.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Campbell River, BC36,740n/a 
      Oswego, IL36,70911110.8%
      Del Rio, TX36,7548713.1%
      Cooper City, FL36,68314039.8%
      San Juan Capistrano, CA36,77618989.0%
      El Mirage, AZ36,7291099.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.