Scottsdale, AZ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Scottsdale, AZ Summary

Cost of living in Scottsdale research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Scottsdale is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arizona, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Scottsdale is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Scottsdale is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Scottsdale ranks as the #89 cheapest in Arizona out of 94.

  • Scottsdale ranks as the #5,183 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Scottsdale is $540,000.

  • The median income in Scottsdale is $97,409.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
128
Scottsdale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Scottsdale, AZ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Scottsdale has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arizona, Scottsdale has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Arizona's index of 107.

The standard of living in Scottsdale ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 94 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Scottsdale ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.

For more reading on life in Scottsdale, check out:

89 out of 94
In Arizona
5,183 out of 6,412
In America

Scottsdale Cost Of Living Vs. Arizona

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Scottsdale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Scottsdale is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Scottsdale is 98.

  • The Health index in Scottsdale is 91.

  • The Housing index in Scottsdale is 191.

  • The Transportation index in Scottsdale is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Scottsdale is 106.

Living Expense Scottsdale Arizona National Average
Overall 128 107 100
Services 98 102 100
Groceries 98 101 100
Health 91 94 100
Housing 191 121 100
Transportation 105 105 100
Utilities 106 97 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arizona, check out:
Scottsdale Cost of Living Vs. AZ

Scottsdale, AZ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arizona, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Scottsdale is $540,000.

  • The Median Rent in Scottsdale is $1,578.

  • The Median Income in Scottsdale is $97,409.

  • The Home Value To Income in Scottsdale is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Scottsdale is 0.19x.

Statistic Scottsdale Arizona United States
Median Home Value $540,000 $265,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,578 $1,172 $1,163
Median Income $97,409 $65,913 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.5x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Scottsdale, AZ
$540,000
Median Home Value
$1,578
Median Rent
$97,409
Median Income

Scottsdale, AZ Costs By Category

Detailed Scottsdale Services Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Scottsdale Arizona
Shampoo $0.99 $1.06
Movie $8.84 $10.68
Bowling $17.06 $14.67
Haircut $17.22 $18.62
Beauty Salon $41.67 $39.05

Detailed Scottsdale Groceries Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Scottsdale Arizona
Ground Beef $3.91 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.68 $1.39
Milk $1.63 $2.05
Potatoes $3.42 $3.29
Pizza $10.99 $10.62
Beer $9.58 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.53 $2.34

Detailed Scottsdale Health Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Scottsdale Arizona
Optometrist $96.17 $108.57
Doctor $96.33 $116.17
Dentist $89.83 $99.13

Detailed Scottsdale Transportation Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Scottsdale Arizona
Gasoline $2.49 $2.22
Tire Balancing $45.83 $50.07

Detailed Scottsdale Utilities Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Scottsdale Arizona
All Electricity $189.67 $167.67
Phone $178.49 $175.64

Scottsdale SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
9.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Scottsdale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Scottsdale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Phoenix, AZ has a cost of living index of 96, 0.8x Scottsdale.

  • Mesa, AZ has a cost of living index of 98, 0.8x Scottsdale.

  • Tempe, AZ has a cost of living index of 105, 0.8x Scottsdale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Scottsdale
Phoenix, AZ 1,591,119 96 0.8x
Mesa, AZ 497,752 98 0.8x
Tempe, AZ 178,862 105 0.8x
Fountain Hills, AZ 23,639 124 1.0x
Anthem, AZ 22,750 118 0.9x
New River, AZ 17,731 115 0.9x
Paradise Valley, AZ 12,666 238 1.9x

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