Cost of Living: Tucson, AZ vs Scottsdale, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,370/mo in Tucson, AZ versus $4,370/mo in Scottsdale, AZ. In the model, rent is about 16.82% of gross in Tucson, AZ versus 27.84% in Scottsdale, AZ, so Tucson, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Tucson, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Scottsdale, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Tucson, AZ
16.82%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Scottsdale, AZ
27.84%
COLI tier: higher-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Tucson, AZ and Scottsdale, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Tucson, AZ
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Tucson, AZ
  • Lower home prices: Tucson, AZ
  • Higher median household income: Scottsdale, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Tucson, AZ: 94.2 (U.S. = 100) · Scottsdale, AZ: 125.6 (U.S. = 100)

Tucson, AZ has a lower cost-of-living index than Scottsdale, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Tucson, AZ: $1,097/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Scottsdale, AZ: $1,815/mo

Median rent in Scottsdale, AZ is $718/mo higher than in Tucson, AZ.

Median Home Price

Tucson, AZ: $286,900 · Scottsdale, AZ: $709,900

Median home price in Scottsdale, AZ is $423,000 higher than in Tucson, AZ.

Median Household Income

Tucson, AZ: $67,929 · Scottsdale, AZ: $107,372

Scottsdale, AZ has a higher median household income than Tucson, AZ by $39,443.

Tucson, AZ overview · Scottsdale, AZ overview · Popular comparisons