Median rent is 6% lower in Scottsdale ($2,013/mo vs $2,147/mo). Buying is cheaper in Boston, where the median home runs $731,700 versus $789,800. Households earn more in Scottsdale ($110,886 vs $97,344 a year).
City A
Boston, MA
City B
Scottsdale, AZ
How much would you need to earn in Scottsdale, AZ to maintain your standard of living from Boston, MA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Boston
Massachusetts
Scottsdale
Arizona
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Scottsdale at $2,013/mo compared to $2,147/mo in Boston (6% gap). Median home values are within 7% of each other: $731,700 in Boston and $789,800 in Scottsdale.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Boston
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Scottsdale
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Boston has cleaner air on average: 31.0 AQI (Good) compared to 40.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Scottsdale if you prioritize higher median household income ($110,886/yr).
Pick Boston if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 31.0).
Is Boston cheaper than Scottsdale?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Boston vs Scottsdale?
Median rent is $2,147/mo in Boston, MA and $2,013/mo in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale, AZ has the lower rent by about 6%.
Which has higher salaries — Boston or Scottsdale?
Median household income is $97,344 in Boston, MA and $110,886 in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale, AZ has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Boston, MA has better air quality on average: 31.0 AQI versus 40.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Boston or Scottsdale?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Scottsdale to match my Boston income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
