$90,000 in Boston ≈ $85,845 in Phoenix

$85,845

Purchasing-power equivalent using BEA RPP 2024 (108.3 → 103.3). BLS OEWS May 2025 wages on linked pages.

Prices in Phoenix run −4.6% vs Boston for equal purchasing power at this salary level.

Boston RPP
108.3
Phoenix RPP
103.3
Price gap
−4.6%
Base salary
$90,000

Prices in Phoenix run −4.6% versus Boston on BEA all-items RPP (2024), so overall price levels are lower at the destination. A $90,000 paycheck in Boston maps to about $85,845 in Phoenix for equal purchasing power.

Your salary

Needed in Phoenix: $85,845

Live math: salary × (103.3 ÷ 108.3). Same formula as the static ladder below.

Salary needed in Phoenix

In BostonIn Phoenix
$60,000$57,230
$90,000$85,845
$150,000$143,075

Equivalent = origin salary × (103.3 ÷ 108.3). Adjust the base with the slider above.

Price level components

ComponentBostonPhoenixUS
All items108.3103.3100
Goods99.795.0100
Housing (rents)148.4121.2100
Other services103.6104.0100

BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, US = 100. Housing is rents; utilities omitted in this view.

Wages in both metros

OccupationBostonPhoenixDest. middle halfDest. OEWS emp.Gap
Computer and Information Systems Managers$214,960$169,720$132,570 to $204,35011,510−21.0%
Architectural and Engineering Managers$205,130$169,310$138,180 to $212,9303,250−17.5%
Financial Managers$209,780$145,940$109,930 to $193,02012,030−30.4%
Sales Managers$206,610$148,320$103,590 to $202,60011,210−28.2%
Marketing Managers$213,910$132,580$122,660 to $172,0004,060−38.0%
Human Resources Managers$184,990$145,610$114,170 to $183,8903,160−21.3%
Managers, All Other$184,250$135,390$105,280 to $172,1905,650−26.5%
Lawyers$183,350$135,670$103,160 to $193,2108,820−26.0%

BLS OEWS May 2025 metro medians where published for both CBSAs. Employment is OEWS published employment, not job openings.

FAQ

What salary do I need in Phoenix to match $90,000 in Boston?
About $85,845, based on BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) of 108.3 and 103.3. Formula: salary × (RPP_destination / RPP_origin). Not financial advice.
What do goods, housing, and other RPP components mean?
BEA publishes component indexes alongside all-items RPP. Goods covers merchandise prices; housing (rents) covers rents; other services covers remaining services. All are indexed to US = 100 for the same vintage year.
How do OEWS wages relate to this comparison?
BLS OEWS (May 2025) publishes occupation medians by metro. The wage bridge shows jobs with published medians in both metros, plus middle-half bands and OEWS employment where available. RPP adjusts purchasing power; OEWS reports pay.
Does this include taxes or benefits?
No. PayByCity does not model income taxes, childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave. Use the figures as a price-level starting point, not a take-home or total-rewards calculator.

What this covers

Includes

  • BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, goods, housing rents, other services)
  • BLS OEWS median wages, percentile bands, and employment where published
  • Purchasing-power math: salary × (destination RPP ÷ origin RPP)

Does not include

  • Federal, state, or local income taxes
  • Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
  • Job openings. OEWS employment is a published stock estimate, not hiring demand

See methodology and disclaimer.