City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 12.1% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $112,100 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Tucson, AZ ($124,085 → $108,455), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (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 Luis Obispo, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,226 in Tucson | $112,075 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/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 | 31% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,893 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $76,095 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $91,205 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $108,455 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $128,162 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $47,220 | $52,922 (−45.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $123,710 | $138,648 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $76,320 | $85,535 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $94,110 | $105,474 (−24.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.