City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 4.4% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $104,400 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, CO and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Tucson, AZ ($118,675 → $108,455), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,815 in Tucson | $104,368 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
82 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Fort Collins → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,893 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,095 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,205 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,455 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,162 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $47,220 | $49,282 (−21.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $123,710 | $129,113 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $76,320 | $79,653 (−10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $94,110 | $98,220 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.