How Much Does a Casita Cost? (2026)

A new detached casita typically costs $110,000–$280,000 to build in the Southwest (2026) — roughly $135–$400 per square foot depending on your city, the size, and finish level. Garage conversions come in well under that; high-end markets like Scottsdale run above it. A 2-bedroom casita rents for $1,400–$2,600/mo in the cities below.

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Casita Cost by City

Costs reflect a new detached casita, all-in (design, permits, construction, utility connections). Click a city for the full cost breakdown.

What Drives the Price

• Size — most casitas run 400–1,000 sq ft. Cost per square foot rises as size shrinks (kitchen and bath are the expensive rooms).
• Site work & utilities — trenching for water/sewer/electric commonly adds $10,000–$30,000 and surprises more budgets than anything else.
• Permits & fees — typically $3,000–$15,000 in the Southwest, far lower than coastal California.
• Prefab vs stick-built — prefab casitas can trim 10–20% and months off the schedule; compare options on our prefab ADU guide.
• Finish level — the spread between builder-grade and custom finishes explains most of the range in the table above.

Casita = ADU (and why that matters)

"Casita" is the Southwest's word for what your city's zoning code calls an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) — so the rules that govern your casita are the ADU rules. Arizona's HB 2720 "casita law" now requires larger AZ cities to allow one on most single-family lots. Check your city's exact size caps, setbacks, and permit steps: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Tempe, Las Vegas, Henderson.

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