C+
12%
Overall NAT. AVG.
0%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
34%
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 San Tan Valley Arizona National
Cost of living112101100
Goods & Services100105100
Groceries103102100
Health care9693100
Housing13496100
Transportation109102100
Utilities106104100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in San Tan Valley, AZ

Getting a feel for the cost of living in San Tan Valley 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 San Tan Valley is 112, which is 12% 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.

Housing costs are a major factor in the San Tan Valley cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 34% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

Is San Tan Valley Affordable?

Is San Tan Valley an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in San Tan Valley, the median home price is 27.2% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 50.1% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in San Tan Valley come in at $109,192, which is 34.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in San Tan Valley?

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In San Tan Valley, the general sales tax rate starts at 5.6%, and income tax rates begin at 2.5%.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In San Tan Valley, healthcare costs are 4.4% lower than the national average.

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In San Tan Valley, the utilities index registers 5.9% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The San Tan Valley 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. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in San Tan Valley is 11% higher than the Arizona average
  • The cost of living in San Tan Valley is 12% higher than the national average
  • San Tan Valley housing is 34% 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 San Tan Valley

See all the best places to live around San Tan Valley

Compare San Tan Valley, 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$116,625$9,719$2,721$3,499
      Renters$93,423$7,785$2,180$2,803
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in San Tan Valley, AZ, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In San Tan Valley, the median monthly income is $116,625 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,721 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $93,423, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $2,180 on monthly rental expenses.

      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 San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      Haircut $33.10$27.6219.9%
      Beauty Salon $62.61$51.1122.5%
      Toothpaste $4.01$4.092.0%
      Shampoo $1.57$1.541.8%
      Movie $11.13$12.8813.6%
      Yoga $21.66$19.6610.2%

      Groceries

      Item San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.61$7.701.2%
      Fried Chicken $1.48$1.6611.0%
      Milk $4.87$4.732.9%
      Potatoes $4.72$5.2610.2%
      Pizza $13.21$12.763.5%
      Beer $11.40$10.558.1%

      Health Care

      Item San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $138.02$140.061.5%
      Doctor $141.07$153.828.3%
      Dentist $137.92$123.1512.0%
      Ibuprofen $11.86$11.731.1%
      Lipitor $15.57$23.6134.1%

      Housing

      Item San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      Home Price $415,388.00$326,622.0027.2%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,777.31$2,480.2512.0%
      Apartment Rent $2,167.00$1,444.0050.1%

      Transportation

      Item San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.34$3.069.2%
      Tire Balancing $70.48$65.218.1%

      Utilities

      Item San Tan Valley National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $245.41$220.1211.5%
      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.
      Upper Santan Village, AZ5871032.5%
      Sacaton Flats Village, AZ4981032.5%
      Sacaton, AZ2,5638613.5%
      Apache Junction, AZ43,334936.6%
      Lower Santan Village, AZ113955.2%
      San Tan Valley, AZ108,60111212.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Santa Maria, CA109,24813737.2%
      Wichita Falls, TX107,9438514.7%
      Red Deer, AB107,873n/a 
      Columbia, MD107,79813535.4%
      Davie, FL109,44812424.4%
      San Tan Valley, AZ108,60111212.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.