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Phoenix
#17 of 124
North America

Phoenix

AZ, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Phoenix compare to Manila?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Phoenix is 196% better off vs in Manila

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Phoenix compared to Manila, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$135,000
+$117K (+633%) vs Manila
Based on 435 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$92,880
+$78K (+530%) vs Manila
Tax Rate: 31%

Community Insights

New

Phoenix is a maturing tech hub that has shifted from a "low-cost alternative" to a specialized heavy-industry titan.

While it no longer offers the dirt-cheap living of the past, the data shows it still holds a strong financial advantage for software engineers, boasting #11 in purchasing power and top-tier sunshine rankings. The tech scene is distinct: rather than the volatile world of Web3 or consumer apps, Phoenix relies on the bedrock of semiconductors, aerospace, and defense. For a software engineer, this means stability and tangible work, often closer to the hardware.

However, the lifestyle trade-off is stark. You gain a winter paradise and a spacious home but lose walkability and must endure a punishing summer that tests even the most resilient residents. It is a city of convenience and comfort, provided you have a car and good air conditioning.

Resident Sentiment

Mixed / Cautiously Optimistic

There is a palpable divide in sentiment. Recent transplants from high-cost areas (like the Bay Area) still view Phoenix as "on sale," citing the ability to buy a home with just a few years of salary. They appreciate the Mountain Standard Time (no DST) for remote work alignment.

Conversely, locals and longer-term residents express regret over the rapid increase in cost of living, feeling that the city's wages have not kept pace with its new "luxury" price tag. A common thread on Reddit is the feeling that Phoenix has lost the "affordability" charm that once compensated for the extreme heat.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Manila.

Rankings

Purchasing Power

Top 14%

#17

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Top 18%

#22

of 124 cities

≈3.3 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Community Events

Top 19%

#23

of 124 cities

9 events on luma

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Phoenix compared to Manila?

Avg. Property Price
$3,863 / m²
9% more expensive than Manila
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Phoenix to maintain the same standard of living.

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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
113% more expensive than Manila
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Phoenix

Amazon logo
Amazon
Intel logo
Intel
PayPal logo
PayPal

The Good

  • Semiconductor & Hardware Hub: Unlike pure software cities, Phoenix is a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing (TSMC, Intel) and aerospace/defense, offering stable career paths for engineers in these sectors.
  • Sunshine & Winters: With #1 ranking in sunshine hours, residents enjoy an outdoor-centric lifestyle for nearly 7 months of the year while the rest of the country is cold.
  • Relative Affordability: Despite rising costs, the housing affordability rank (#26) and high purchasing power (#11) remain significantly better than coastal tech hubs like SF or NYC.
  • Traffic & Grid System: While car-dependent, the city's grid layout and freeway system make driving relatively predictable compared to the chaotic congestion of older cities.
  • Diverse Neighborhoods: Options range from the upscale, nightlife-heavy Scottsdale to the relaxed, young-professional vibe of Downtown/Midtown Phoenix.

The Bad

  • Extreme Heat: The summer is brutal and long (5 months), often described as a reverse winter where you are trapped inside; nights do not cool down significantly.
  • Car Dependency: The sprawl is massive, and public transit is often viewed as impractical for professionals; a car is effectively mandatory for daily life.
  • Eroding Value Proposition: Long-time residents and recent transplants note that rent and home prices have skyrocketed, making the city feel less like a "bargain" than it was a few years ago.
  • "Not Flashy" Tech Scene: The job market lacks the density of high-growth SaaS startups found in Austin or SF, with a culture that feels more corporate and industrial.
  • Air Quality: Despite the desert location, the pollution index and dust can be an issue for those with respiratory sensitivities.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Hardware-Adjacent Engineers & Winter Lovers

Software engineers working in embedded systems, firmware, or defense will find a rich job market here that rivals any in the world. Additionally, remote workers who want to maximize their income (high purchasing power) while enjoying a tax rate that is competitive for the level of city amenities will thrive. It is ideal for those who value home ownership and hiking over walkability and nightlife density.

Skip it if...

Urbanists & Pure SaaS Chasers

If your happiness depends on walking to a coffee shop, taking the subway, or working for the latest "unicorn" startup, Phoenix will frustrate you. The car-centric sprawl can be isolating for those used to dense urban cores. Furthermore, if you have any medical sensitivity to heat or poor air quality, the summer months can be physically debilitating.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather1.8/10+20% vs Manila
Safety47+33%
Pollution58-35%
Events9+200%
1.8/10TechCities weather score vs 1.5/10 in Manila

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
30°C(vs 32°C in Manila)
Average Low
18°C(vs 25°C in Manila)
Sunshine Hours
3,872h/yr+1769h/yr(+84%)
Hottest Month High
41°C(vs 34°C in Manila)
Coldest Month Low
8°C(vs 23°C in Manila)
Rainy Days
33/yr-119/yr(-78%)

Community & Quality

Phoenix community pulse

Phoenix has 9 Luma events listed.

200% more events than Manila.

Net Income

Top 19%

#23

of 124 cities

$92,880/yr

Current value

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#61

of 124 cities

31%

Current value (lower is better)

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#82

of 124 cities

58/100

Current value (lower is better)

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#82

of 124 cities

58/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Bottom 32%

#86

of 124 cities

47.2/100

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Bottom 13%

#109

of 124 cities

18/100 weather score

Current value

SWE Affordability
3.3 years
15.8 years quicker than Manila
Muggy Days
16/yr-348/yr(-96%)
Cloud Cover
27%(vs 74% in Manila)