City comparison
San Francisco, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 19.3% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $119,300 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −18.5% moving from San Francisco, CA to Tucson, AZ ($133,060 → $108,455), while prices change by −16.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (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
| San Francisco, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 115.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,811 in Tucson | $119,317 in San Francisco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,977/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 48% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $74,260 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Francisco | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 194.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 115.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Francisco, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.2%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
3 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Francisco, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from San Francisco, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Francisco, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, San Francisco → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,893 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $76,095 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $91,205 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $108,455 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $128,162 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Francisco, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in San Francisco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $47,220 | $56,341 (−44.7%) |
| Software Developers | $186,640 | $123,710 | $147,607 (−20.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $110,730 | $76,320 | $91,062 (−17.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 | $94,110 | $112,289 (−39.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.