
Los Angeles vs Tucson
$828/mo more in Tucson
Los AngelesTucsonAbout 395 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Tucson leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 286 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,528/mo in Tucson. $1,700/mo in Los Angeles. +$9,936 a year.
Los Angeles
$1,700
left each month
Tucson
$2,528
+$828 vs Los Angeles
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 844 households moved Los Angeles → Tucson (avg AGI $73,992). 617 went the other way. The whole move →
+$828 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Los Angeles | Tucson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,750 | $6,953 | −$1,797 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,378 | $1,506 | −$872 |
| Take-home pay | $6,372 | $5,447 | −$925 |
| Rent | $2,273 | $1,009 | −$1,264 |
| Getting around | $674 | $547 | −$127 |
| Groceries | $476 | $376 | −$100 |
| Healthcare | $536 | $423 | −$113 |
| Utilities | $298 | $235 | −$63 |
| Everything else | $417 | $329 | −$88 |
| Left over | $1,700 | $2,528 | +$828 |
Salary to match Los Angeles
$69,000
Gross pay in Tucson that leaves the same amount as $105,000 in Los Angeles.
Tax difference
+$4,071
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 27.2% in Los Angeles, 21.7% in Tucson.
More about Tucson
Los Angeles, CA in full
Perfect weather, deep job market, and a car payment you can't avoid.
Tucson, AZ in full
Phoenix weather and hiking at a serious discount, on lower wages.
The other way
Start in Tucson.
Tucson → Los Angeles →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Tucson than Los Angeles?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Tucson leaves about $828 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,273 in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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.