Hi renters,

Another Wednesday, another Rent Check PHX! I hope your last week of August is going well.

In today’s issue, we’re talking about how rent in Phoenix compares to the cities around us. Spoiler: It may be lower than you’d expect.

I also have some cool listings for you, and a space for renter horror stories.

Rent Check PHX hits your inbox every other Wednesday evening, so the next edition will be coming on Sept. 10.

If you know any renters in the area who could benefit from this newsletter, please forward it to them and let them know where they can sign up. The more the merrier!

From one renter to another,

How does rent in Phoenix compare to surrounding cities? (Dreamframer/Shutterstock)

When I graduated from ASU in 2017, I decided to find an apartment to rent in Phoenix. In my head, if things went south in my job, I could always relocate to an East Valley suburb outside of the city to save some cash. 

But what I, a brand-new adult at the time, didn’t realize was that, with the exception of Mesa, those places were on average more expensive. As you’ll see below, that still checks out in 2025. 

Now that I’m more seasoned, if you will, I try to keep tabs on what rent is like in surrounding cities. I figure that if I find myself needing to move somewhere cheaper, stat, it’d be good to know where to start looking. 

It’s been a while since I’ve checked up on average rents in the Valley, so this week, I’m diving into the numbers for you. 

According to Zumper, an online rental marketplace, the median rent for a one-bedroom in Phoenix was $1,210 in July. That’s just a tad under the state median of $1,260. 

If you’d like to compare to surrounding cities (or at least the ones that Zumper chose to analyze), here’s where they fell in line:

💰 If saving is a top concern: This 650-square-foot, one-bed, one-bath is listed at $899 a month, which is as cheap as it gets for on Zillow for Phoenix. The apartment is off 15th Avenue and Indian School Road. There is no laundry on site. 

🏊 If you want amenities for cheap: The Monte Viejo complex off the 101 and Cave Creek Road in north Phoenix offers studios for $1,055 to $1,203 a month, one-beds for $1,155 to $1,265, and two-beds for $1,186 to $1,335. There are also three- and four-bed options available. The complex includes a 24/7 fitness center and two pools. 

🛏️ If you want extra floor space: This 1,167-square-foot townhouse off of Camelback Road and 16th Street has an unusual perk for a rental: a Murphy bed. The fully furnished two-bed, two-bath unit is listed for $2,200 a month—and the complex it’s in has a pool.

🧱 If you love brick: You’ll want to see the photos of this three-bed, two-bath home off the I-10 and 15th Avenue. The 1,529-square-foot home is full of beautiful brick walls, and it includes an extra space in the yard that could be used for an office or casita. It’s listed for $2,949 a month.

If you come across any interesting, weird, or surprisingly affordable listings that you think should be featured here, please send them my way!

Listings available as of Aug. 26. I’m not paid to share these listings, but that doesn’t mean I can personally vouch for them. Please do your research before applying and signing a lease!

This is The Tenant’s Voice, a place where we can share our renting frustrations, helpful tips, and pressing questions. 

This week, on social media I asked: What’s your worst renting experience in Phoenix? 

📦 @larryisthebestboy: “Airbnb in the U-Haul storage on University. Worst idea ever.”

❌ @freeman_s27: “I ended up getting severely injured and ended up in a wheelchair and my property owner and property management company left me confined in a third-story condo for over a year, refused to accommodate me, and fought me on it, which kept me trapped upstairs, isolated, and unable to access medical care, or work.”

🪳 I’ll share mine: For a year, I lived among hundreds of cockroaches at an apartment complex in the Arcadia area. My partner and I had no indication that this was an issue when moving in, so it was horrible to find ourselves trapped in a one-year lease after the roaches made themselves known. We also had some pretty wild neighbors, with the police showing up on our floor on a regular basis. One neighbor pounded another neighbor’s door with her cane and poured some sort of white powder in front of their unit because she believed they owed her $6. Needless to say, I was glad to be out of the chaos when we left.

I know you all have to have some horror stories, too. If you want to add to the conversation, send me your story, and I’ll print more in the next edition!

⏳ Phoenix’s vice mayor is pushing for zoning reform and other changes to speed up home construction in the city. (KTAR)

🏘️ One of Phoenix’s historic neighborhoods is fighting a new law that allows for denser housing in single-family neighborhoods. (AZ Family)

🗑️ Need help decluttering your apartment? Try using the “one less” rule. (Apartment Therapy)

🛌 These 15 items can up your rental’s style while also giving you more room. (drew & johnathan)

📦 Renting a new place in Phoenix? Here’s how to throw a successful moving party. (The Copper Courier)

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jessica Swarner. Rent Check PHX is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us. Donate here.

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