City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 4.1% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $104,100 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,708 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Tucson, AZ ($117,402 → $108,455), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,051 in Tucson | $104,112 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,708/yr.
82 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,708/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Ann Arbor → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $62,893 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $76,095 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $91,205 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $108,455 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $128,162 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $47,220 | $49,162 (−23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $123,710 | $128,796 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,320 | $79,458 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $94,110 | $97,979 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.