City comparison
Boston, MA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 11.7% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $111,700 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,489 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.0% moving from Boston, MA to Tucson, AZ ($120,548 → $108,455), while prices change by −10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,498 in Tucson | $111,734 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,489/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,489/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Boston → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,893 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $76,095 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $91,205 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,455 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $128,162 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $47,220 | $52,761 (−46.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $123,710 | $138,226 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $76,320 | $85,276 (−14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $94,110 | $105,153 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.