Tucson, AZ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Tucson, AZ Summary

Cost of living in Tucson research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Tucson is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arizona, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Tucson is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Tucson is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Tucson ranks as the #37 cheapest in Arizona out of 94.

  • Tucson ranks as the #2,449 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Tucson is $177,800.

  • The median income in Tucson is $48,058.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Tucson's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Tucson, AZ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Tucson has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arizona, Tucson has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Arizona's index of 107.

The standard of living in Tucson ranks as #37 most affordable out of the 94 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Tucson ranks as the #57 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.

For more reading on life in Tucson, check out:

37 out of 94
In Arizona
2,449 out of 6,412
In America

Tucson Cost Of Living Vs. Arizona

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Tucson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Tucson is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Tucson is 103.

  • The Health index in Tucson is 103.

  • The Housing index in Tucson is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Tucson is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Tucson is 100.

Living Expense Tucson Arizona National Average
Overall 95 107 100
Services 106 102 100
Groceries 103 101 100
Health 103 94 100
Housing 73 121 100
Transportation 98 105 100
Utilities 100 97 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arizona, check out:
Tucson Cost of Living Vs. AZ

Tucson, AZ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arizona, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Tucson is $177,800.

  • The Median Rent in Tucson is $907.

  • The Median Income in Tucson is $48,058.

  • The Home Value To Income in Tucson is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Tucson is 0.23x.

Statistic Tucson Arizona United States
Median Home Value $177,800 $265,600 $244,900
Median Rent $907 $1,172 $1,163
Median Income $48,058 $65,913 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.7x 4.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Tucson, AZ
$177,800
Median Home Value
$907
Median Rent
$48,058
Median Income

Tucson, AZ Costs By Category

Detailed Tucson Services Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tucson Arizona
Shampoo $1.03 $1.06
Movie $10.51 $10.68
Bowling $9.25 $14.67
Haircut $19.81 $18.62
Beauty Salon $51.51 $39.05

Detailed Tucson Groceries Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tucson Arizona
Ground Beef $4.86 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.65 $1.39
Milk $1.59 $2.05
Potatoes $2.39 $3.29
Pizza $12.99 $10.62
Beer $9.69 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.18 $2.34

Detailed Tucson Health Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tucson Arizona
Optometrist $96.0 $108.57
Doctor $138.05 $116.17
Dentist $91.2 $99.13

Detailed Tucson Transportation Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tucson Arizona
Gasoline $2.14 $2.22
Tire Balancing $48.58 $50.07

Detailed Tucson Utilities Costs Vs. Arizona

Item Tucson Arizona
All Electricity $169.46 $167.67
Phone $185.54 $175.64

Tucson SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
7
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Tucson

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Tucson. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Casas Adobes, AZ has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x Tucson.

  • Catalina Foothills, AZ has a cost of living index of 127, 1.3x Tucson.

  • Oro Valley, AZ has a cost of living index of 113, 1.2x Tucson.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Tucson
Casas Adobes, AZ 70,224 103 1.1x
Catalina Foothills, AZ 50,096 127 1.3x
Oro Valley, AZ 46,515 113 1.2x
Sahuarita, AZ 33,524 106 1.1x
Drexel Heights, AZ 30,599 91 1.0x
Flowing Wells, AZ 16,965 88 0.9x
Tanque Verde, AZ 14,946 127 1.3x
Vail, AZ 14,715 111 1.2x
Valencia West, AZ 12,887 98 1.0x
Tucson Estates, AZ 12,411 94 1.0x

Articles About Arizona

Enjoy The Snack?