City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 6.9% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $106,900 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,514 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.8% moving from Chicago, IL to Tucson, AZ ($118,984 → $108,455), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,533 in Tucson | $106,914 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,514/yr.
90 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,514/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Chicago → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $62,893 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $76,095 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $91,205 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $108,455 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $128,162 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $47,220 | $50,485 (−35.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $123,710 | $132,263 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $76,320 | $81,596 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $94,110 | $100,616 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.