City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.7% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $105,700 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,444 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Birmingham, AL to Tucson, AZ ($107,510 → $108,455), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,731 in Tucson | $94,580 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,444/yr.
52 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,444/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Birmingham → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $62,893 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $76,095 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $91,205 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $108,455 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $128,162 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $47,220 | $44,661 (−28.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $123,710 | $117,005 (−6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $76,320 | $72,183 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $94,110 | $89,009 (+13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.