City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 4.7% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $104,700 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Orlando, FL to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (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
| Orlando, FL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,541 in Tucson | $104,667 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
83 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Orlando → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $47,220 | $49,424 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $123,710 | $129,483 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $76,320 | $79,882 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $94,110 | $98,502 (+17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.