Phoenix has a lower cost of living than these 3 suburbs

If you’re a Valley resident looking to turn in big city life for cheaper housing and a lower cost of living, you may find yourself looking at Phoenix’s many suburbs. But if you end up in three of the hottest suburbs — Tempe, Gilbert and Scottsdale — your cost of living will actually go up.

That’s what the personal finance website GOBankingRates found in a new study comparing major American cities to their top suburbs.

Traditionally, people and families look to leave downtown cores for the ‘burbs, allowing them to trade in their one-bedroom apartments for single-family homes with backyards. But GOBankingRates revealed 15 major cities that have a lower annual cost of living than nearby suburbs.

Relying on U.S. Census Bureau data, the company identified the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas and examined the cost-of-living difference between the major cities and three suburbs with at least 5,000 households and the highest livability index scores. For Phoenix, that’s Gilbert, Scottsdale and Tempe. Mesa, the largest suburb in the Valley, was not included in the study.

In Phoenix, the median household income is roughly $77,000 and the cost of living is nearly $53,000. The cost of living in Scottsdale, Gilbert and Tempe is higher, according to the study. Scottsdale boasts the highest cost of living at more than $87,000 a year. Gilbert’s cost of living is more than $63,000 a year — $10,000 more than Phoenix — while Tempe edges Phoenix out with a cost of living of $56,604.

It’s not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, of course. After all, the median household income in Gilbert is $121,000, a whopping $58,000 higher than the cost of living. Scottsdale’s median household income is $107,000, topping the cost of living by $20,000. Money doesn’t go quite as far in Tempe, which has a similar median household income of $77,000 but less of it left after expenses.

Then again, if you moved to Gilbert now, it’s not as if your salary would automatically jump $50,000. So, if you’re looking for a cheaper cost of living in a Phoenix suburb, maybe look west. Or even outside the state entirely.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of Phoenix and its suburbs:

Phoenix

• Median household income: $77,041
• Annual cost of living: $52,951
• Leftover savings: $24,090

Gilbert

• Median household income: $121,351
• Annual cost of living: $63,242
• Leftover savings: $58,109

Scottsdale

• Median household income: $107,372
• Annual cost of living: $87,476
• Leftover savings: $19,896

Tempe

• Median household income: $77,643
• Annual cost of living: $56,604
• Leftover savings: $21,039