What does a Food Preparation Workers salary really buy you in Arizona?
Arizona is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Arizona's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 99.9, meaning prices are 0.1% lower the national average. A Food Preparation Workers earning $35,480 in Arizona has the equivalent purchasing power of $35,515 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $30,710 | $30,740 | +$30 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $33,780 | $33,813 | +$33 |
| Median (P50) | $35,480 | $35,515 | +$35 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $37,580 | $37,617 | +$37 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $42,850 | $42,892 | +$42 |
Arizona's cost of living is close to the national average, so $35,480 keeps most of its value at $35,515 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Food Preparation Workers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Arizona ranks #9 out of 50 states for Food Preparation Workers after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Food Preparation Workers in Arizona earns a median salary of $35,480 per year. After adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (RPP=99.9), the real purchasing power is $35,515 — a +0.1% difference.
Arizona's cost of living is 0.1% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Arizona is 99.9 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Food Preparation Workers in Arizona: $35,480 x (100 / 99.9) = $35,515. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.