Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Scottsdale, AZ and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,663 a month against $2,911 in Scottsdale, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Scottsdale, AZ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

142

Cost of Living Index in Scottsdale, AZ
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Scottsdale, AZ Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Scottsdale, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,911

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Scottsdale, AZ and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Scottsdale, AZ and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,911 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Scottsdale, AZ $2,911
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,339 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Scottsdale, AZ $4,339
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,767 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Scottsdale, AZ $5,767
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Scottsdale, AZ is roughly 9% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Scottsdale, AZ 116% above, Austin, TX 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$20.77 $20.77

-5.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.9 $85.9

$84.6 $84.6

1.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.83 $12.83

$12.32 $12.32

4.14%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.63 $5.63

-5.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.72 $3.72

-20.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.50 $2.50

-4.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$8.05 $8.05

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$9.01 $9.01

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.12 $1.12

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.75 $3.75

8.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.26 $3.26

52.45%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$4.17 $4.17

7.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$12.90 $12.90

6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$14.16 $14.16

-20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$16.22 $16.22

5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.33 $4.33

1.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.46 $1.46

28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.51 $4.51

-16.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.34 $4.34

-4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.58 $2.58

10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.35 $2.35

19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.78 $1.78

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.22 $2.22

18.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.65 $10.65

$9.88 $9.88

7.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 $13.49

$15.08 $15.08

-10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.92 $2.92

-14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.46 $3.46

-3.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.49 $1.49

51.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.51 $42.51

$41.72 $41.72

1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.73 $2.73

1.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.66 $1.66

-19.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.81 $35.81

$35.30 $35.30

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.95 $0.95

25.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.6K $36.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

1.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.1K $27.1K

-6.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$200 $200

$229 $229

-12.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$63.7 $63.7

$59.4 $59.4

7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$69.9 $69.9

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.23 $34.23

$57.2 $57.2

-40.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.04 $10.04

$16.33 $16.33

-38.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 $13.71

$14.28 $14.28

-3.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,238 $1,238

$1,506 $1,506

-17.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$21.5K $21.5K

-5.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 $54.9

$52.8 $52.8

4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 $43.13

$43.82 $43.82

-1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 $99.2

$84.8 $84.8

17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$103 $103

29.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,387 $2,387

$1,907 $1,907

25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$1,274 $1,274

22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,230 $3,230

$3,664 $3,664

-11.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,760 $2,760

$2,538 $2,538

8.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,759 $3,759

$7,614 $7,614

-50.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,744 $4,744

$3,157 $3,157

50.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,671 $5,671

$5,121 $5,121

10.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.79

-2.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Scottsdale, AZ: October 12, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Scottsdale, AZ

$1.6K 53.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 18.7% $293

Groceries & Markets

Scottsdale, AZ

$406 14%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 0.4% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Scottsdale, AZ

$339 11.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 5.6% $19

Eating Out

Scottsdale, AZ

$327 11.2%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 8.2% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Scottsdale, AZ

$149 5.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 13.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Scottsdale, AZ

$62 2.1%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 39.1% $24

Getting Around

Scottsdale, AZ

$61 2.1%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 3.8% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,387 in Scottsdale, AZ and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Scottsdale, AZ pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86.0 in Scottsdale, AZ vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $405 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Scottsdale, AZ

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:29 3:29 AM

05:29 5:29 AM

2 h ahead of Scottsdale, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

241,361

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Scottsdale, AZ Austin, TX 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Scottsdale, AZ
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Scottsdale, AZ vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Scottsdale, AZ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Scottsdale, AZ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,387 in Scottsdale, AZ versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,911 per month in Scottsdale, AZ versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 2% less than in Scottsdale, AZ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Scottsdale, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.