City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 8.2% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $108,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,985 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.5% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Tucson, AZ ($116,038 → $108,455), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,439 in Tucson | $108,180 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,985/yr.
94 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,985/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Minneapolis → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $62,893 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $76,095 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $91,205 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $108,455 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $128,162 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $47,220 | $51,083 (−35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $123,710 | $133,829 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $76,320 | $82,563 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $94,110 | $101,808 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.