City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 2.4% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $102,400 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $779 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Tucson, AZ ($110,047 → $108,455), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,350 in Tucson | $97,704 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/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 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$779/yr.
62 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$779/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Pittsburgh → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $62,893 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $76,095 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $91,205 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $108,455 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $128,162 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $47,220 | $46,136 (−39.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $123,710 | $120,869 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $76,320 | $74,567 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $94,110 | $91,949 (+11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.