City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 10.1% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $110,100 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.1% moving from Sacramento, CA to Tucson, AZ ($117,984 → $108,455), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,837 in Tucson | $110,087 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/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 | 30% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Sacramento → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $62,893 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $76,095 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $91,205 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $108,455 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $128,162 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $47,220 | $51,983 (−49.7%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $123,710 | $136,189 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $76,320 | $84,018 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $94,110 | $103,603 (−39.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.