$90,000 in Des Moines ≈ $101,385 in Phoenix

$101,385

Purchasing-power equivalent using BEA RPP 2024 (91.7 → 103.3). BLS OEWS May 2025 wages on linked pages.

Prices in Phoenix run +12.6% vs Des Moines for equal purchasing power at this salary level.

Des Moines RPP
91.7
Phoenix RPP
103.3
Price gap
+12.6%
Base salary
$90,000

Prices in Phoenix run +12.6% versus Des Moines on BEA all-items RPP (2024), so overall price levels are higher at the destination. A $90,000 paycheck in Des Moines maps to about $101,385 in Phoenix for equal purchasing power.

Your salary

Needed in Phoenix: $101,385

Live math: salary × (103.3 ÷ 91.7). Same formula as the static ladder below.

Salary needed in Phoenix

In Des MoinesIn Phoenix
$60,000$67,590
$90,000$101,385
$150,000$168,975

Equivalent = origin salary × (103.3 ÷ 91.7). Adjust the base with the slider above.

Price level components

ComponentDes MoinesPhoenixUS
All items91.7103.3100
Goods93.795.0100
Housing (rents)84.7121.2100
Other services92.9104.0100

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

Wages in both metros

OccupationDes MoinesPhoenixDest. middle halfDest. OEWS emp.Gap
Chief Executives$290,870$138,900$81,360 to $224,2703,140−52.2%
Computer and Information Systems Managers$164,840$169,720$132,570 to $204,35011,510+3.0%
Architectural and Engineering Managers$148,330$169,310$138,180 to $212,9303,250+14.1%
Financial Managers$154,140$145,940$109,930 to $193,02012,030−5.3%
Pharmacists$141,110$144,490$133,720 to $161,1905,050+2.4%
Sales Managers$136,570$148,320$103,590 to $202,60011,210+8.6%
Human Resources Managers$138,140$145,610$114,170 to $183,8903,160+5.4%
Managers, All Other$139,110$135,390$105,280 to $172,1905,650−2.7%

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 Des Moines?
About $101,385, based on BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) of 91.7 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.