City comparison
Riverside, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 9.9% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $109,900 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Riverside, CA to Tucson, AZ ($124,085 → $108,455), while prices change by −9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (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
| Riverside, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,032 in Tucson | $109,852 in Riverside |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,777/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,400 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Riverside | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.3 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 101.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 101.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 106.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Riverside, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Riverside, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Riverside, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Riverside, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Riverside → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,893 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $76,095 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $91,205 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $108,455 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $128,162 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Riverside, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Riverside dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,520 | $47,220 | $51,872 (−47.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,270 | $123,710 | $135,898 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,920 | $76,320 | $83,839 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $133,940 | $94,110 | $103,382 (−22.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.