Cost of LivingUpdated 2026-11-11

Flagstaff, Arizona

Living in Flagstaff, Arizona is about 3% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 103 (US = 100). Typical rent is $2,128 a month, 10% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.23 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 53% of the area's $72,581 median household income.

Key Numbers

Gas (Regular)

$4.23

National: $3.98

โ†‘ 222.2%since 2000
โœ“ AAA Gas Prices

Avg Rent (All)

$2,128

National: $1,932

โ†‘ 18.2%since 2021
โœ“ Zillow ZORI Flagstaff, AZ metro (2026-09)

Grocery Inflation

1.77%

Year-over-year

โœ“ BLS/FRED CPI

Fast Food Avg

$14.29

Combo meal

โ†‘ 5.4%YoY

Electricity

15.05ยข

per kWh ยท ~$135/mo

โ†“ 18.4%vs US avg
โœ“ EIA Residential

Car Insurance

$133/mo

$1,596/yr

โ†“ 25.8%vs national avg
โœ“ Bankrate/NAIC

Median Household Income

$72,581

52.9% goes to essentials

โ†“ 52.9%cost burden
โœ“ Census ACS 2023
๐Ÿš—

Car Insurance

Avg $1,596 in Flagstaff. Compare rates:

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Find Apartments

Avg rent $2,128/mo in Flagstaff. Browse listings:

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Grocery Prices

Grocery Prices โ€” 2000 to Present

National BLS averages ยท submit local prices below โ†“

Eggs (dozen)

Bird flu volatility

$0.97 in 2000 โ†’ $2.32 BLS avg

$1.79 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+137.9%

Milk (gallon)

$2.79 in 2000 โ†’ $4.10 BLS avg

$4.19 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+47.3%

Ground Beef (lb)

$1.48 in 2000 โ†’ $6.75 BLS avg

$6.49 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+355.5%

Bread (loaf)

$0.91 in 2000 โ†’ $1.86 BLS avg

$4.79 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+105.2%

Chicken Breast (lb)

$1.06 in 2000 โ†’ $2.03 BLS avg

$4.89 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+91.3%

Butter (lb)

$3.98 BLS avg

$5.29 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

-4.2% since 2018

Bacon (lb)

$2.75 in 2000 โ†’ $6.69 BLS avg

$3.99 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+143.1%

Cheddar Cheese (lb)

$3.84 in 2000 โ†’ $6.13 BLS avg

$4.00 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+59.6%

Pasta (lb)

$0.88 in 2000 โ†’ $1.38 BLS avg

$1.65 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+57.1%

Rice (5 lb)

$2.50 in 2000 โ†’ $5.50 BLS avg

$4.72 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+120.6%

Coffee (12 oz)

$2.65 in 2000 โ†’ $6.94 BLS avg

$9.99 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+161.3%

Orange Juice (64 oz)

Citrus shortage

$5.42 estimate

+45.7% since 2022

Potatoes (5 lb)

$1.96 in 2000 โ†’ $4.95 BLS avg

$3.59 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+152.6%

Apples (3 lb)

$5.20 estimate

$2.49 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+15.8% since 2022

Tomatoes (lb)

$1.44 in 2000 โ†’ $2.08 BLS avg

$1.69 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+44.4%

Lettuce (head)

$0.75 in 2000 โ†’ $1.96 BLS avg

+162.3%

Cooking Oil (48 oz)

$7.76 estimate

$3.99 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+40.1% since 2022

Yogurt (32 oz)

$4.94 estimate

$6.79 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+19.0% since 2022

Cereal (family size)

$6.20 estimate

$5.00 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+29.4% since 2022

Frozen Pizza

$8.65 estimate

$4.99 @ Fry's Food And Drug - Switzer Canyon Route 66 (Nov 2026)

+37.1% since 2022

Dining & Restaurants

Fast Food Meal

$14.29

Casual Dining

$26.13

Monthly Spend

$457.46

+5.41% YoY

Chain Restaurant Meal Prices โ€” 2022 vs. Today

Combo meal / typical order for one

McDonald's

2022: $8.36

$13.49

+61.4%

Wendy's

2022: $9.44

$14.57

+54.3%

Chipotle

2022: $10.12

$15.11

+49.3%

Starbucks

2022: $4.58

$6.36

+38.9%

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Looking for an Apartment in Flagstaff?

Average 1BR: $1,745/mo ยท 2BR: $2,511/mo

Browse Flagstaff Apartments โ†’

Flagstaff Cost of Living FAQ

Is Flagstaff, AZ expensive to live in?

Flagstaff has a cost of living index of 103, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 3% more expensive than average. It is the 3rd most expensive of the 8 Arizona cities we track.

What is the average rent in Flagstaff, AZ?

Typical rent in Flagstaff is $2,128 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 10% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,745 and two bedrooms about $2,511. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.

Is rent going up in Flagstaff?

Rent in Flagstaff rose 0.0% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.

How much is gas in Flagstaff?

Regular unleaded costs about $4.23 a gallon in Flagstaff as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Arizona. That is 6% above the national average of $3.98.

How much is electricity in Flagstaff?

Homes in Arizona pay an average of 15.1 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Flagstaff is about $135.

How much is car insurance in Flagstaff?

Full coverage car insurance averages $1,596 a year in Arizona, or about $133 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.

How much do you need to live in Flagstaff?

Median household income in the Flagstaff area is $72,581 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $38,407 a year, or 53% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).

How does Flagstaff compare with the rest of Arizona?

Rent in Flagstaff is 29% above the $1,651 average across the 8 Arizona cities we track, and its cost of living index of 103 compares with a state average of 101.

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