City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 14.7% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $114,700 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Seattle, WA to Tucson, AZ ($119,630 → $108,455), while prices change by −12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (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
| Seattle, WA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,189 in Tucson | $114,693 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Seattle → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,893 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $76,095 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $91,205 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $108,455 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $128,162 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $47,220 | $54,158 (−47.4%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $123,710 | $141,887 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $76,320 | $87,534 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $94,110 | $107,938 (−15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.