City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 5.9% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $105,900 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +5.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,939 in Tucson | $94,394 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
51 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Chattanooga → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $47,220 | $44,573 (−25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $123,710 | $116,775 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $76,320 | $72,041 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $94,110 | $88,834 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.