Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tempe, AZ and Suwanee, GA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tempe, AZ: $2,880 a month against $3,049 in Suwanee, GA, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Suwanee, GA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Tempe, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,880
/mo nomad
Suwanee, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,049
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tempe, AZ and in Suwanee, GA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,880 in Tempe, AZ versus $3,049 in Suwanee, GA.

  • Tempe, AZ $2,880
  • Suwanee, GA $3,049

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,836 in Tempe, AZ versus $4,233 in Suwanee, GA.

  • Tempe, AZ $3,836
  • Suwanee, GA $4,233

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,792 in Tempe, AZ versus $5,417 in Suwanee, GA.

  • Tempe, AZ $4,792
  • Suwanee, GA $5,417

Living in Tempe, AZ costs roughly 6% less than in Suwanee, GA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tempe, AZ 113% above, Suwanee, GA 126% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.77 $19.77
$19.92 $19.92
-0.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.6 $81.6
$79.6 $79.6
2.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.17 $13.17
$10.84 $10.84
21.49%
Cappuccino
$5.25 $5.25
$5.53 $5.53
-5.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 $3.10
$2.67 $2.67
16.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$2.10 $2.10
16.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.01 $6.01
$5.90 $5.90
1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.17 $7.17
$7.52 $7.52
-4.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.97 $0.97
$0.88 $0.88
10.23%
White Bread (500g)
$4.20 $4.20
$3.71 $3.71
13.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.19 $6.19
$4.79 $4.79
29.23%
Eggs
$4.68 $4.68
$3.90 $3.90
20.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.65 $13.65
$11.72 $11.72
16.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.44 $13.44
$9.10 $9.10
47.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.38 $17.38
$19.98 $19.98
-13.01%
Apples (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$4.48 $4.48
19.42%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.56 $1.56
26.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.12 $4.12
$4.18 $4.18
-1.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$4.59 $4.59
8.06%
Potato (1kg)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.80 $3.80
-33.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$3.84 $3.84
-22.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.22 $2.22
$2.32 $2.32
-4.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.97 $1.97
15.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.89 $10.89
$8.27 $8.27
31.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.65 $13.65
$14.79 $14.79
-7.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 $2.41
$1.61 $1.61
49.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$1.70 $1.70
85.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.4 $64.4
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.02 $3.02
-6.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.51 $1.51
-9.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.42 $35.42
$17.76 $17.76
99.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.95 $0.95
23.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K $36.7K
$32.4K $32.4K
13.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$25.4K $25.4K
1.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$240 $240
$224 $224
7.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$61.4 $61.4
$66.8 $66.8
-8.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$78.0 $78.0
$87.9 $87.9
-11.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.16 $30.16
$49.66 $49.66
-39.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.16 $15.16
$14.74 $14.74
2.85%
Cinema Ticket
$13.80 $13.80
$17.29 $17.29
-20.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,107 $1,107
$1,261 $1,261
-12.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.4K $15.4K
$10.1K $10.1K
51.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.6 $62.6
$52.1 $52.1
20.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.61 $44.61
$44.52 $44.52
0.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.4 $98.4
$85.6 $85.6
15.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$130 $130
-13.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,894 $1,894
$1,907 $1,907
-0.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 $1,460
$1,727 $1,727
-15.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,543 $2,543
$2,554 $2,554
-0.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,683 $1,683
$2,516 $2,516
-33.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tempe, AZ
Suwanee, GA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,960 $3,960
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
6.72
-3.27%

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

Last update for Tempe, AZ: October 12, 2026

Last update for Suwanee, GA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tempe, AZ
$1.5K
Suwanee, GA
$1.7K 18.3% $267
Groceries & Markets
Tempe, AZ
$431
Suwanee, GA
$386 10.5% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tempe, AZ
$380
Suwanee, GA
$379 0.2% $0.6
Eating Out
Tempe, AZ
$327
Suwanee, GA
$322 1.6% $5.3
Clothing & Footwear
Tempe, AZ
$143
Suwanee, GA
$141 1.9% $2.7
Getting Around
Tempe, AZ
$82
Suwanee, GA
$11 * 87.1% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Tempe, AZ
$58
Suwanee, GA
$84 45.9% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,894 in Tempe, AZ and $1,907 in Suwanee, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Tempe, AZ vs $80.0 in Suwanee, GA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $386 per month, with Suwanee, GA cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Tempe, AZ
🇺🇸 Suwanee, GA
🕒 Local time
04:05 4:05 AM
07:05 7:05 AM
3 h ahead of Tempe, AZ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
161,719
19,549
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tempe, AZ Suwanee, GA 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tempe, AZ
  • Suwanee, GA

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
Tempe, AZ vs Suwanee, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tempe, AZ or Suwanee, GA?
Tempe, AZ wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Suwanee, GA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tempe, AZ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tempe, AZ and in Suwanee, GA?
You'd need roughly $4,320 in Tempe, AZ and $4,573 in Suwanee, GA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tempe, AZ compared to Suwanee, GA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,894 in Tempe, AZ versus $1,907 in Suwanee, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Tempe, AZ and in Suwanee, GA?
Childcare runs $1,107 in Tempe, AZ versus $1,261 in Suwanee, GA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Tempe, AZ and in Suwanee, GA?
Dining out is cheaper in Tempe, AZ – a meal for two runs $82.0 versus $80.0 in Suwanee, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Tempe, AZ or in Suwanee, GA?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Tempe, AZ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Tempe, AZ or Suwanee, GA?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tempe, AZ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Suwanee, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Tempe, AZ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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