City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 5.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $105,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $779 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Tucson, AZ ($117,284 → $108,455), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,483 in Tucson | $105,839 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$779/yr.
87 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$779/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Philadelphia → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $62,893 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $76,095 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $91,205 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $108,455 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $128,162 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $47,220 | $49,977 (−36.4%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $123,710 | $130,934 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $76,320 | $80,777 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $94,110 | $99,605 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.