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 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Tucson is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Tucson ranks as the #37 cheapest in Arizona out of 92.
Tucson ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Tucson is $324,534.
The median income in Tucson is $54,546.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Tucson has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arizona, Tucson has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Arizona's index of 102.
The standard of living in Tucson ranks as #37 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Arizona. By definition, that implies Tucson ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Grand Canyon State.
For more reading on life in Tucson, check out:
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 109.
The Groceries index in Tucson is 104.
The Health index in Tucson is 91.
The Housing index in Tucson is 89.
The Transportation index in Tucson is 110.
The Utilities index in Tucson is 102.
| Living Expense | Tucson | Arizona | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 103 | 102 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 104 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 89 | 99 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 96 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Tucson is $324,534.
The Median Rent in Tucson is $1,079.
The Median Income in Tucson is $54,546.
The Home Value To Income in Tucson is 5.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Tucson is 0.24x.
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 111, 1.1x Tucson.
Catalina Foothills, AZ has a cost of living index of 137, 1.3x Tucson.
Oro Valley, AZ has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Tucson.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casas Adobes, AZ | 70,770 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Catalina Foothills, AZ | 51,756 | 137 | 1.3x |
| Oro Valley, AZ | 47,595 | 125 | 1.2x |
| Sahuarita, AZ | 35,012 | 112 | 1.1x |
| Drexel Heights, AZ | 27,636 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Flowing Wells, AZ | 16,989 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Vail, AZ | 15,722 | 118 | 1.1x |
| Tanque Verde, AZ | 15,531 | 138 | 1.3x |
| Valencia West, AZ | 13,834 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Tucson Estates, AZ | 12,687 | 99 | 1.0x |