Cost of living in Tucson: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Tucson runs 3.1% under the US average. For 2024, BEA puts the regional price parity (RPP) of the Tucson, AZ metro area at 96.9, with the US at 100 and housing on its own at 91.8.
- Overall prices
- 96.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Level of housing prices
- 91.8. Rent index, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Tucson
A regional price parity measures the cost of one basket of goods and services in a place against the US average, set at 100. Tucson belongs to the Tucson, AZ metro area, which BEA prices as a single area. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 89.5, or 10.5% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Tucson, AZ metro | Arizona | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 96.9 | 100.7 | −3.1% |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.4 | −3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 91.8 | 106.8 | −8.2% |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 92.3 | −10.5% |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.8 | −0.2% |
From the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the 2024 regional price parities for metro areas and states. Regional price parity figures
What rent costs in Tucson
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Tucson at $1,428 a month for homes listed now, up 1.4% over a year. In the US it is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,235, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 28% of the median household income.
| Rent | Tucson | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,428 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.4% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,235 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for a year, share of median income | 28% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, using one-year estimates.
What homes cost in Tucson
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index, or ZHVI, put the value of a typical Tucson home at $318,760; that figure covers a home typical of the middle of the market. Compared with $366,157 for the US, that is −1.9% on a year. The price equals 5.3 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Tucson | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $318,760 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −1.9% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +83.8% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 18.6 | 15.8 |
Price chart since 2000, plus the forecast and the days on market: Tucson housing market.
Salary you need to live in Tucson
Where you live and what you earn: those two questions determine the Tucson salary that matches what your pay buys now.
- Moving away from
- Salary
The method, with every city set next to another: city cost of living comparison.
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Cost of living in Tucson vs other cities
| City | Overall prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | 96.9 | 91.8 | $1,428 | $318,760 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Mesa | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,532 | $428,871 |
| Flagstaff | 100.3 | 109.0 | $2,128 | $650,175 |
| Sedona | 98.3 | 98.8 | $2,612 | $891,380 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024), with US = 100. Rent figures: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: compare cities on cost of living. All states: cost of living for each state.