City comparison
Gilbert, AZ is about 50 miles (80 km) from Surprise, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 60 miles, or about 60 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Gilbert, AZ to Surprise, AZ takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Gilbert has a population of 267,267, vs 145,591 in Surprise — about 1.8× larger by population. By land area, Surprise covers about 110 sq mi vs 69 sq mi for Gilbert.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Gilbert | Surprise | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,839/mo | $1,822/mo | 0.9% higher in Gilbert |
| Median home value | $454,300 | $352,600 | 28.8% higher in Gilbert |
| Median household income | $115,179 | $87,756 | 31.2% higher in Gilbert |
| Groceries index | 95.8 | 95.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 96.2 | 96.2 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 104.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Gilbert, you'd need $99,955 in Surprise to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Gilbert and Surprise have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Gilbert, you'd need about $79,964 in Surprise to keep the same standard of living.