City comparison
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 | Mesa | Scottsdale | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,352/mo | $1,768/mo | 23.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $327,700 | $651,800 | 49.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $73,766 | $104,197 | 29.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ 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 Mesa, you'd need $130,773 in Scottsdale to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Mesa, AZ is about 23.5% cheaper overall than Scottsdale, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 24% lower in Mesa than in Scottsdale. If you earn $80,000 in Mesa, you'd need about $104,618 in Scottsdale to keep the same standard of living.