Pima County · Arizona
Cost of living in Tucson, AZ
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Tucson, AZ, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Living in Tucson, AZ costs 3.1% below the national average — an all-items price level of 96.9. To match the buying power of a $100,000 national-average salary you would need about $96,896 here.
- All items
- 96.9US average = 100
- Housing
- 91.88.2% below the national average
- Goods
- 96.23.8% below the national average
- Other services
- 99.8in line with the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 96.2 | -3.8% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 91.8 | -8.2% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 89.5 | -10.5% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 99.8 | -0.2% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Tucson, AZ
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (96.9 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $53,919
- Needed to match US average
- $50,623
- Monthly difference
- $-135
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
The median household in Tucson earns $52,245. Deflated by the local price level, that is $53,919 in national-average dollars — the BEA calls this real income, and it is simply income × 100 ÷ 96.9.
More on Tucson
Same city, other datasets.
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Tucson, AZ. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.