| Index | Sun City West | Arizona | National |
| Cost of living | 111 | 101 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 101 | 100 |
| Health care | 100 | 101 | 100 |
| Housing | 131 | 96 | 100 |
| Transportation | 104 | 102 | 100 |
| Utilities | 116 | 111 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 99 | 103 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 101 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 100 | 103 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Sun City West allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Sun City West stands at 111, marking it 11% higher than the national average.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Sun City West, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 31% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Sun City West an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Sun City West is 32.1% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 28.3% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Sun City West has a median household income of $82,316, which is 1.2% higher than the national average.
Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Sun City West, the groceries index is 1.5% lower than the national average.
Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Sun City West, the transportation index is 3.6% higher than the national average.
Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Sun City West, the housing index is 31% higher than the national average.
The Sun City West cost of living data above is designed around a U.S. average baseline of 100, allowing for easy comparisons of relative living costs. Housing incorporates U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other figures are AI-assisted estimates that account for regional price trends, climate, transportation dynamics, and common everyday expenses. These values are best used as directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $82,638 | $6,887 | $1,928 | $2,479 |
| Renters | $59,519 | $4,960 | $1,389 | $1,786 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Arizona | 5.6% | 10.725% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Arizona | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Deer Creek, AZ | 189 | 96 | 4.2% |
| Morristown, AZ | 194 | 98 | 1.9% |
| Youngtown, AZ | 7,044 | 100 | 0.4% |
| Sun City, AZ | 39,873 | 102 | 1.9% |
| El Mirage, AZ | 36,729 | 104 | 3.8% |
| Sun City West, AZ | 27,025 | 111 | 10.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Smithtown, NY | 27,027 | 154 | 54.4% |
| East St. Louis, IL | 27,033 | 77 | 22.5% |
| Canyon Lake, TX | 27,035 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Clarksburg, MD | 27,008 | 158 | 57.6% |
| Bessemer, AL | 27,005 | 85 | 15.3% |
| Sun City West, AZ | 27,025 | 111 | 10.6% |
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