City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 7.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $107,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,095 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.9% moving from Baltimore, MD to Tucson, AZ ($121,785 → $108,455), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,735 in Tucson | $107,834 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,095/yr.
93 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$2,095/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Baltimore → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $62,893 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,095 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,205 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,455 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,162 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $47,220 | $50,919 (−33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $123,710 | $133,402 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $76,320 | $82,299 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $94,110 | $101,483 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.