Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while Arizona trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Scottsdale at index 133 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Arizona.
Premium market, smart picks: while Arizona trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Scottsdale at index 133 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Arizona.
What does daily life actually cost in Scottsdale? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 122) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 182) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $107,372 and homes at $848,565 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons (we double-checked this one).
Bottom line: Scottsdale leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Scottsdale — cost index 133, rent $2,113/mo, income $107,372
Scottsdale is a clear outlier at index 133
9 of 12 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
244,394 residents · Arizona
The #1 spot goes to Scottsdale, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,113/month — we had to double-check this one — — costing renters $2,616 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 122, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 182. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
275,411 residents · Arizona
Gilbert is one of the cheaper options here. And with some exceptions, rent is $2,049/month — for better or worse — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 119. Income sits at $121,351. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
280,167 residents · Arizona
What does daily life actually cost in Chandler? Start with the 21% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 104) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 134) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $103,691 and homes at $521,806 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
198,750 residents · Arizona
What does daily life actually cost in Peoria? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 102) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 128) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $93,403 and homes at $485,361 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons. A real contender.
158,285 residents · Arizona
The numbers for Surprise are straightforward: 110 on the cost index, $1,926/month rent, $93,371 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scottsdale | 133 | $2,113 | Details |
| 2 | Gilbert | 119 | $2,049 | Details |
| 3 | Chandler | 113 | $1,848 | Details |
| 4 | Peoria | 111 | $1,821 | Details |
| 5 | Surprise | 110 | $1,926 | Details |
| 6 | Goodyear | 110 | $1,767 | Details |
| 7 | Buckeye | 110 | $2,004 | Details |
| 8 | Tempe | 108 | $1,679 | Details |
| 9 | Mesa | 105 | $1,554 | Details |
| 10 | Phoenix | 104 | $1,556 | Details |
| 11 | Glendale | 103 | $1,544 | Details |
| 12 | Tucson | 97 | $1,399 | Details |
Scottsdale ranks #1 in Arizona for this analysis with a cost index of 133 and median income of $107,372.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Scottsdale (ranked #1) has a cost index of 133 and rent of $2,113/mo, while Tucson (ranked #12) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,399/mo — a 36-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Scottsdale is $2,113/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $218 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Scottsdale is $848,565, which is 7.9× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Arizona has a 2.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.37%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.51%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.