City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 1.5% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $101,500 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,900 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Boise City, ID to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,481 in Tucson | $101,543 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,900/yr.
74 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,900/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Boise City → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $47,220 | $47,949 (−21.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $123,710 | $125,619 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $76,320 | $77,498 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $94,110 | $95,562 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.