City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 3.6% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $103,600 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Spokane, WA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.4% moving from Spokane, WA to Tucson, AZ ($106,991 → $108,455), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Spokane, WA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,562 in Tucson | $103,561 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
80 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Spokane → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $62,893 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $76,095 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $91,205 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $108,455 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $128,162 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $47,220 | $48,901 (−50.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $123,710 | $128,115 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $76,320 | $79,037 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $94,110 | $97,461 (−12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.