City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 4.6% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $104,600 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Tucson, AZ ($106,955 → $108,455), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,559 in Tucson | $95,640 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
55 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Corpus Christi → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $62,893 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $76,095 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $91,205 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $108,455 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $128,162 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $47,220 | $45,161 (−25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $123,710 | $118,316 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $76,320 | $72,992 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $94,110 | $90,006 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.