City comparison
New York, NY vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 16.2% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $116,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,569 a year higher in New York, NY than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.5% moving from New York, NY to Tucson, AZ ($125,431 → $108,455), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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
| New York, NY | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,082 in Tucson | $116,169 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,569/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$2,569/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Tucson, AZ | Real change, New York → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,893 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $76,095 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $91,205 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $108,455 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $128,162 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $47,220 | $54,855 (−43.4%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $123,710 | $143,713 (−13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $76,320 | $88,660 (−16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $94,110 | $109,327 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.