City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 8.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $108,800 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.9% moving from Anchorage, AK to Tucson, AZ ($120,348 → $108,455), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,914 in Tucson | $108,797 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
96 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Anchorage → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,893 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $76,095 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $91,205 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $108,455 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $128,162 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $47,220 | $51,374 (−35.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $123,710 | $134,593 (+29.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $76,320 | $83,034 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $94,110 | $102,389 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.