Richardson, TX vs Surprise, AZ: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Surprise, AZ has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Richardson, TX.

Richardson, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $2,200 / month
Surprise, AZ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,190 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Richardson, TX and Surprise, AZ using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Richardson, TX

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $199/month in Surprise, AZ

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,384 in Surprise, AZ

Regional cost estimates: Richardson, TX uses Plano, TX. Surprise, AZ uses Glendale, AZ. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$199

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.4K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Richardson, TX

Population:117K

Cost Index:

104.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$437K

Surprise, AZ

Population:158K

Cost Index:

101.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$385K

Planning the move to Surprise?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Richardson, TX

The Lone Star State

117K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Texas, this city has a population of 117K residents.

💡 Advantage: Texas has no state income tax!

Surprise, AZ

The Grand Canyon State

158K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Arizona, this city has a population of 158K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Richardson, TX vs Surprise, AZ

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Richardson, TX	Surprise, AZ	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,293/mo	$2,547/mo	↑ $254more	11.1%
Transportation	$1,247/mo	$1,459/mo	↑ $212more	17.0%
Other	$1,850/mo	$1,640/mo	↓ $210less	11.3%
Healthcare	$613/mo	$577/mo	↓ $36.50less	6.0%
All Utilities	$546/mo	$535/mo	↓ $10.72less	2.0%
Groceries	$950/mo	$940/mo	↓ $10.28less	1.1%

Housing

↑ 11.1%

Richardson, TX

$2,293

Surprise, AZ

$2,547

Difference

$254

Transportation

↑ 17.0%

Richardson, TX

$1,247

Surprise, AZ

$1,459

Difference

$212

Other

↓ 11.3%

Richardson, TX

$1,850

Surprise, AZ

$1,640

Difference

$210

less

Healthcare

↓ 6.0%

Richardson, TX

$613

Surprise, AZ

$577

Difference

$36.50

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.0%

Richardson, TX

$546

Surprise, AZ

$535

Difference

$10.72

less

Groceries

↓ 1.1%

Richardson, TX

$950

Surprise, AZ

$940

Difference

$10.28

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,800

To$1,730

↓ $70.00

1 Bed

From$1,880

To$1,890

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$2,200

To$2,190

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$2,770

To$2,920

↑ $150

Richardson, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,840–$2,100/mo

Surprise, AZZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,890–$1,890/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Richardson, TX

$7,699

Monthly in Surprise, AZ

$199

Difference

Home Values

Richardson

Surprise

$437K

Median Value

$385K

↓ -3.6%

YoY Change

↓ -3.9%

↑ +33.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +24.6%

$377K - $537K

Price Range

$385K

Homes in Surprise are 12% less expensive than Richardson

Calculate payment - Richardson Calculate payment - Surprise

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $5.2K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$436

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

3.5%

Rate difference

Richardson, TX

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Texas State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Surprise, AZ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Arizona State Tax

Effective: 3.5%

$5.2K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 28.2%

$42.2K

Take-Home Pay

$8,979/month

$107.8K

Additional Tax Information

Richardson, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

Surprise, AZ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.5%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Richardson

Surprise

40 Good

Air Quality

77 Moderate

77.5%

Good Air Days

99 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌡

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

81 days

Heat Days >95°F

165 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

81 days

Heat Days >95°F

165 days

Before moving from Richardson, TX to Surprise, AZ

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Surprise, AZ for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Richardson, TX. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Richardson to Surprise moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Surprise, AZ by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Richardson, TX vs Surprise, AZ

How do the cost estimates for Richardson, TX and Surprise, AZ compare?

Surprise, AZ has a modeled overall cost index 2.8% lower than Richardson, TX. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Richardson, TX, the model estimates $152,384 in Surprise, AZ. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Richardson, TX and Surprise, AZ?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,200/month in Richardson, TX and $2,190/month in Surprise, AZ. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Texas and Arizona on TaxTakeHome.com