City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 1.5% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $101,500 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $324 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Columbus, OH to Tucson, AZ ($111,065 → $108,455), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,495 in Tucson | $98,527 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Tucson, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$324/yr.
64 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$324/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Columbus → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,893 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $76,095 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $91,205 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $108,455 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $128,162 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $47,220 | $46,525 (−40.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $123,710 | $121,888 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $76,320 | $75,196 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $94,110 | $92,724 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.