Uprootmap
El Centro vs Phoenix
El Centro and Phoenix
Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Phoenix are close to the US rate in this release, 6.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at El Centro to Phoenix
In 2022-2023, 225 households filed a move from El Centro to Phoenix (about 419 people, average adjusted gross income $41,756). 117 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,009 in El Centro and $1,277 in Phoenix. El Centro has a state tax on wages. Phoenix has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Phoenix is 97% of the national level for the same work, against 80% in El Centro.
Phoenix averages 299 sunny days, with July highs around 106°F and January nights around 46°F. El Centro is 276 sunny days, 103°F in July, 41°F in January. Commutes average 26 minutes in Phoenix and 22 in El Centro.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 225 households moved El Centro → Phoenix (about 419 people, average AGI $41,756). 117 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between El Centro and Phoenix changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 229 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,800–$3,350
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,250
- Rent a truck
- $500–$900
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Dig into Phoenix
Questions
Is Phoenix cheaper than El Centro after tax and rent?
Yes. Phoenix leaves about $107 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,009 in El Centro and $1,277 in Phoenix.
Does Phoenix have state income tax?
Phoenix is in Arizona, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from El Centro to Phoenix?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.