Median rent is 3% lower in Washington ($1,954/mo vs $2,013/mo). Buying is cheaper in Washington, where the median home runs $737,100 versus $789,800. Households earn more in Scottsdale ($110,886 vs $109,870 a year).
City A
Scottsdale, AZ
City B
Washington, DC
How much would you need to earn in Washington, DC to maintain your standard of living from Scottsdale, AZ?
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
Scottsdale
Arizona
Washington
District of Columbia
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 rents are similar in both cities: $2,013/mo in Scottsdale and $1,954/mo in Washington. Median home values are within 7% of each other: $789,800 in Scottsdale and $737,100 in Washington.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Scottsdale
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Washington
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Washington has cleaner air on average: 24.0 AQI (Good) compared to 40.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Washington if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 24.0).
Is Scottsdale cheaper than Washington?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Scottsdale vs Washington?
Median rent is $2,013/mo in Scottsdale, AZ and $1,954/mo in Washington, DC. Washington, DC has the lower rent by about 3%.
Which has higher salaries — Scottsdale or Washington?
Median household income is $110,886 in Scottsdale, AZ and $109,870 in Washington, DC. 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?
Washington, DC has better air quality on average: 24.0 AQI versus 40.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Scottsdale or Washington?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Washington to match my Scottsdale 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
