City comparison
Scottsdale, AZ is about 30 miles (50 km) from Surprise, AZ in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 42 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 Scottsdale, AZ to Surprise, AZ takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 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.
Scottsdale has a population of 240,537, vs 145,591 in Surprise — about 1.7× larger by population. By land area, Scottsdale covers about 185 sq mi vs 110 sq mi for Surprise.
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 | Scottsdale | Surprise | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,768/mo | $1,822/mo | 3.1% higher in Surprise |
| Median home value | $651,800 | $352,600 | 84.9% higher in Scottsdale |
| Median household income | $104,197 | $87,756 | 18.7% higher in Scottsdale |
| 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 Scottsdale, you'd need $100,155 in Surprise to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Scottsdale and Surprise have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Scottsdale, you'd need about $80,124 in Surprise to keep the same standard of living.