
Seattle vs Tucson
$877/mo less in Tucson
SeattleTucsonAbout 1,184 miles apart, a flight.
- Tucson costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 286 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,528/mo in Tucson. $3,405/mo in Seattle. −$10,524 a year.
Seattle
$3,405
left each month
Tucson
$2,528
−$877 vs Seattle
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 496 households moved Seattle → Tucson (avg AGI $111,250). 452 went the other way. The whole move →
−$877 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Seattle | Tucson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $9,375 | $6,953 | −$2,422 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,081 | $1,506 | −$575 |
| Take-home pay | $7,294 | $5,447 | −$1,847 |
| Rent | $1,758 | $1,009 | −$749 |
| Getting around | $493 | $547 | +$54 |
| Groceries | $452 | $376 | −$76 |
| Healthcare | $508 | $423 | −$85 |
| Utilities | $283 | $235 | −$48 |
| Everything else | $395 | $329 | −$66 |
| Left over | $3,405 | $2,528 | −$877 |
Salary to match Seattle
$99,000
Gross pay in Tucson that leaves the same amount as $112,500 in Seattle.
Tax difference
−$1,721
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 22.2% in Seattle, 21.7% in Tucson.
More about Tucson
Seattle, WA in full
No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.
Tucson, AZ in full
Phoenix weather and hiking at a serious discount, on lower wages.
The other way
Start in Tucson.
Tucson → Seattle →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Tucson than Seattle?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Tucson leaves about $877 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,758 in Seattle and $1,009 in Tucson.
Does Tucson have state income tax?
Tucson is in Arizona, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Seattle to Tucson?
The paycheck is taxed in Arizona. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Seattle and Tucson changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.