Over the past few years, Gilbert, Arizona, has become one of the top destinations for those looking to live in the Phoenix Metro Area. The cost of living in Gilbert, AZ, is alluring to residents, as it offers affordable housing, quality schools, high safety ratings and more. Gilbert’s economy has boomed in the last half decade, leading to an increase in job and career opportunities, and sealing its fate as one of the most desirable places to live in Arizona! Let’s see what it really costs to live in Gilbert, AZ.
Overall Cost of Living in Gilbert
Cost of Transportation in Gilbert, AZ
Looking at national averages, Gilbert falls just slightly higher than average in cost of living in two categories, transportation and housing. You’ll find any and all cities and suburbs of the Phoenix area have slightly higher costs when it comes to transportation, and that’s due to the limited public transportation options.
Not only are there few options when it comes to public transit, but Arizona has extremely high registration and insurance fees, so making sure your vehicle is ready for the road can get costly. Couple that with gas prices, wear and tear on your car, and regular maintenance fees; and you’ve got a higher than average cost of transportation. But don’t let this scare you away; this isn’t a Gilbert specific issue. If you want to live anywhere in Arizona, this is going to be the case.
Learn More: What is the cost of living in Phoenix, AZ?
Cost of Housing
Having just mentioned Gilbert is slightly more expensive when it comes to transportation and housing, you might be wondering why then did we open by saying residents come for the affordable housing?!
The median home price in Gilbert is just around $330,000 for an average sized home. Though this might seem a little high, one needs to consider a few factors in where this median number comes from. Gilbert is a town that really doesn’t have any rough areas of town bringing down median home values. Most big cities, actually almost any city; has less desirable places to live that might affect an overall home price, but not Gilbert!
You’ll also find that your money goes a long way here, and you might get significantly less house/yard/garage/pool/etc for the same price somewhere else. If you just can’t swing something in the $300K category, you might struggle to find a home in your price range in Gilbert, but that being said there are always outliers, smaller homes, etc.
If you are desirous of a renting situation, rather than owning a home, you’ll probably be paying anywhere from $1,400 to $1,500 a month on the low end, so rent definitely isn’t cheap in the area, either. But if you can secure a living situation that works for you, you’ll find everything else in Gilbert to be well worth it!
Learn More: Living in Arizona vs California
Gilbert, Arizona’s cost of groceries, healthcare and utilities
Gilbert is home to many beautiful, aesthetically pleasing master planned communities and neighborhoods. While these areas look lovely and are a great place to raise a family, with plenty of entertainment, parks, playgrounds, etc, they often come with HOA dues, or Homeowners Association fees. These fees go towards the funding of the look and feel of a neighborhood, as well as communal resources and amenities. Most neighborhoods in Gilbert have HOA’s, and you’re probably looking at anywhere from an extra $40 a month, to $200 a month, depending on the neighborhood.
Along with the fees, some don’t like the restrictions living with an HOA puts on your home and the ways you are expected to maintain it, or even what colors it can be painted, etc. HOA dues aside, almost all other facets of cost of living in Gilbert are less expensive than the national average. Groceries, healthcare, utilities, all of these are very affordable in Gilbert. When you consider how often you pay for these things, it’s good to know they aren’t going to be exorbitant.
Learn More: 10 Things to know before moving to Phoenix, AZ
Cost of Living in Gilbert: Items you don’t want to forget
Pools
If you already live in the southwest, or are just now moving there, you’ll quickly realize a LOT of people have pools. So the same goes for homes in Gilbert. While this might be a luxury amenity in most other parts of the country, many Arizona residents have pools in their yard out of almost necessity. With an endless summer, it’s a great way to beat the heat, and provide a fun environment for grilling out and other entertaining, which can be done year round in Arizona.
Some of these pools are very expensive, with waterfalls and adjacent hot tubs, and others might just be a big concrete hole in the ground full of water! If you think you simply can’t afford a pool, you might be wrong, it’s just a matter of looking around and seeing the best fit for you and your budget. You can find how much it costs to build and maintain a pool in the Gilbert area or any part of Arizona here.
Dining & Entertainment
When it comes to entertainment, Gilbert has it all. Beautiful desert landscape to escape into, wonderful places to dine and eat out, and plenty of parks and family friendly fun to be had.
The Riparian Preserve is an ecological preserve designed to incorporate conservation education along with entertainment for the citizens of Gilbert. Here you’ll find the Water Ranch, beautiful paved trails for hiking, biking, or running, a fishing lake, picnic areas, and even an astronomy observatory open to the public on weekends
Gilbert’s SanTan Village is a great shopping destination. It’s complete with top name brands ranging from sporting goods, to home goods, to clothing and beauty products. You’ll find plenty of art and culture here as well; with year round plays, ballets, and musical performances to attend, so grab a good seat!
Family friendly options are endless in Gilbert, with parks, playgrounds, a trampoline park, and even a dinosaur dig area! Whatever entertainment looks like for you and your family, you can find it in Gilbert!
Summer Electric Bill
It seems self explanatory; with Gilbert being in the heart of the desert, but it’s going to be hot, and you’re going to need to turn on the AC, and that’s going to be expensive. It’s important to prepare for this cost all year long so that when summer rolls around you won’t be caught off guard. With the hot sun beating down all day, it’s hard for a home to combat that and stay cool. This doesn’t have to hinder you from living in this beautiful desert town, just go into it knowing this will be a costly bill for a good half of the year.
