Culture and Attractions
- Theater Venues
- Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (7380 E 2nd St)
- Local Markets
- Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market (Saturday, 3806 N Brown Ave)
- Music Scene
- Live music at The Sugar Bowl, The Brickyard (332 E McDowell Rd)
- Street Art
- Mural at 5th Ave & Main St (Old Town)
- Cooking Classes
- Sur La Table (7117 E Camelback Rd, $65/person)
- Art Galleries
- Mountain Shadows Art Gallery (5410 E Lincoln Dr) and many in Old Town
- Historic Buildings
- Scottsdale City Hall (3939 N Drinkwater Blvd) - mid-century modern
- Local Heritage
- Pima Native American heritage; Scottsdale's branding as 'The West's Most Western Town'
- Must-See Landmarks
- Taliesin West (Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home, 12621 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd)
- Museums & Art Venues
- Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (7374 E 2nd St, $10)
- Historical Sites
- Scottsdale's Historic District (Old Town, architecture from 1900s)
- Religious Sites
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church (10755 N 124th St)
- Annual Events
- Scottsdale ArtWalk (ever Thursday night), Barrett-Jackson Car Auction (January)
- Cultural Districts
- Old Town Scottsdale Arts District (Main St & 5th Ave)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- McDowell Sonoran Preserve (hiking, 30 miles of trails)
- National Parks Nearby
- Camelback Mountain (20 min drive), South Mountain Park (30 min)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt (11 miles of paved path through parks)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Camelback Mountain summit (photos of Phoenix valley)
- Birdwatching Locations
- McDowell Mountain Regional Park (bird species include quail, roadrunner)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Limited due to fire restrictions; official campgrounds at Lake Pleasant (45 min) allow fires
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- UPS (8001 E Roosevelt St), FedEx (8201 E Norse Dr), USPS (4301 N Miller Rd)
- Tech Repair Services
- uBreakiFix (10585 N 114th St, phone/laptop repair)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Scottsdale Table Tennis Club (14362 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, $10 drop-in)
- Language Classes
- Berlitz Scottsdale (English and ESL, 15300 N 90th St, $300/session)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Scottsdale Public Library (Civic Center branch, 3839 N Drinkwater Blvd)
- Community Centers
- Scottsdale Senior Center (7375 E 2nd St) and Granite Reef Senior Center (senior activities)
- Gaming Lounges
- GameStop (multiple locations) and PC Bang - eSports Arena (14500 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Casino Arizona (524 N 92nd St, near Scottsdale)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $5,500 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $220,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $3,500 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $140,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $4,800 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $288,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $3,200 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $192,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $4,200 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $336,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $2,800 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $224,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 21% (US federal) + state tax (Arizona 4.9%), effective ~25.9%
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 30% (US standard, may be reduced by tax treaties)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income for US residents; territorial for non-residents
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 37% (US federal) + 4.5% Arizona, total 41.5%
- VAT
- No VAT; sales tax (Arizona: 5.6% + Maricopa County: 0.7% + Scottsdale: 1.75% = 8.05%)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, Subpart F and GILTI rules apply to US persons
- Property Tax
- Yes, annual rate approx. 0.6% of assessed value (Maricopa County)
- Property Transaction Tax
- No state-level tax; recording fees (approx. $500-$1,000)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No special regime; but no tax on foreign income if not US resident (see IRS rules)
Essentials
- City
- Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
- Population
- Approximately 240,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 200 Mbps; Cox Communications and CenturyLink offer up to 1 Gbps fiber
- Currency & Banking
- US Dollar (USD); 1 USD ≈ 1 USD; widely accepted credit/debit cards
- Tap Water
- Drinkable (treated, but may have mineral taste)
- Power
- 120V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets (US standard)
- SIM Card
- T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon; eSIM options from Airalo and Google Fi
- Banking for Expats
- Chase Bank, Bank of America; digital banks like Revolut and Wise accepted
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and local rental agencies like HomeSmart
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, cards accepted widely; many places also accept Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb (avg $150/night), Vrbo, and corporate housing (e.g., Oakwood Corporate Housing)
- Budget Accommodation
- Motel 6 Scottsdale ($60/night), HI Scottsdale Hostel ($40/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Old Town Scottsdale (shopping, dining, nightlife)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- South Scottsdale (near Old Town) and Gainey Ranch (quieter, with coworking spaces)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Campus at Scottsdale (9169 E Shea Blvd, $200/month for hot desk)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Lola Coffee (4242 N Scottsdale Rd, free WiFi, good coffee)
- Networking Events
- Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce mixers (monthly), Tech on Tap at Local First Arizona
- Social Events for Expats
- Scottsdale International Meetup Group (meets at various bars in Old Town)
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber and Lyft (both widely available)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Lime and Bird scooters; bike rentals at Scottsdale Bike Rentals
- Best Beach Nearby
- No ocean beach; closest is Lake Pleasant (45 min) or Tempe Town Lake (15 min)
- Top Regional Airline
- American Airlines (hub at Phoenix Sky Harbor)
- Top International Airline
- British Airways (to London), Air Canada (to Vancouver)
- Highway Access
- Pima Freeway (Loop 101), AZ-101, and I-10 nearby
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) for flights; no train station
- Public Transport Passes
- Valley Metro bus ($2/ride, $4 day pass); monthly pass $64
- Regional Travel
- Bus (Valley Metro), rideshares; to Phoenix (20 min), Tucson (2 hr via I-10)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center (9003 E Shea Blvd)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Vine (7121 E 5th Ave, $20/class) and The Experience (healthy food + yoga)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Planet Fitness (10801 N Scottsdale Rd, $10/month), EōS Fitness (multiple locations)
- Laundry Services
- Scottsdale Cleaners (dry cleaning) and Laundry Lizard (self-service, 8433 E McDonald Dr)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub (all cover Scottsdale)
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Sonoran hot dog (bacon-wrapped hot dog with beans, onions, tomatoes)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Green New American Vegetarian (2240 N Scottsdale Rd), Loving Hut (vegan)
- Best Dessert Spots
- The Sugar Bowl (4005 N Scottsdale Rd, historic ice cream) and Honeymoon Sweets (bakery)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Fry's Food (multiple locations), Sprouts Farmers Market (organic)
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon, Walmart, Target (all deliver within 2 days)
- Grocery Delivery
- Instacart (from Fry's, Safeway), Amazon Fresh, Shipt
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Old Town Scottsdale (Scottsdale Rd & Camelback Rd area)
- Local Brewery
- Scottsdale Beer Company (15570 N Pima Rd), Goldwater Brewing (7208 E 2nd St)
- Wine Bars
- The Wine Loft (7042 E Indian School Rd) and AZ Wine Collective (tastings)
- Street Food Stalls
- Food trucks at The Local (7111 E Indian School Rd, weekend events)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Sushi (Sushi Roku at the Biltmore), Italian (Olive & Ivy, 7135 E Camelback Rd)