City comparison
Salinas, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 12.5% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $112,500 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −18.5% moving from Salinas, CA to Tucson, AZ ($133,060 → $108,455), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.3% in real buying power.
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much 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
| Salinas, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,861 in Tucson | $112,535 in Salinas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,232/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 | 36% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,380 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Salinas, CA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Salinas, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salinas | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 145.7 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 154.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 109.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salinas, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
21 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salinas, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Salinas, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salinas, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Salinas → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $62,893 | −8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $76,095 | −8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $91,205 | −8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $108,455 | −8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $128,162 | −8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salinas, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Salinas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,220 | $47,220 | $53,139 (−47.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,160 | $123,710 | $139,217 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,810 | $76,320 | $85,887 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,910 | $94,110 | $105,907 (−21.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.