| Measure | PhoenixArizona, United States Remove Phoenix | TorontoOntario, Canada Remove Toronto | MesaArizona, United States Remove Mesa | ScottsdaleArizona, United States Remove Scottsdale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||||
| Overall score | 6.1 | 7.3 | 7.0 | 6.2 |
| Connector Score | 7.5 | 9.4 | 8.5 | 7.3 |
| Safety | 3.7 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 9.0 |
| Affordability | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Transportation | 8.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Walkability | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Things to do | 7.2 | 8.4 | 7.1 | 6.9 |
| Food & dining | 5.8 | 7.6 | 6.4 | 6.6 |
| Places to stay | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 6.3 |
| Nature & outdoors | 4.0 | 3.5 | 9.0 | 5.5 |
| Scenic value | 6.0 | 4.5 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| Family friendliness | 6.2 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.3 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 4.5 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 6.6 |
| Nightlife | 4.3 | 6.4 | 3.8 | 7.0 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 5.1 |
| Road-trip convenience | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 7.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 6.8 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||||
| Budget | $128 | $149 | $125 | $190 |
| Mid-range | $210 | $216 | $195 | $615 |
| Luxury | $483 | $414 | $350 | $663 |
| Living there | ||||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 108 | 108 | 112 | 123 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,475 | CA$2,650 | $1,313 | $1,950 |
| Median home price | $405,689 | CA$1,050,000 | $435,000 | $789,800 |
| Population | 1.7M | 2.8M | 514K | 243K |
| Getting there | ||||
| Accessible by | Drive Bus Airport EV charging | Drive Train Bus Ferry Airport EV charging | Drive Bus Airport | Drive |
| Car recommended | — | — | — | — |
| Travel time from Phoenix | — | Far | 29 min details | 18 min details |
| Character | ||||
| Best for | Road trips | Road trips, Car-free travel, Families | Outdoors, National parks | — |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Pro sports, Family & kids | Beaches, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids | Mountains & hiking, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Nightlife, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Jan-April | Peak: June to September and during TIFF and m… | Peak: Feb-April and Jan-Mar for winter visito… | Peak: often $250-600+ for mid-range and $500-… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.