City comparison
Tallahassee, FL vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 3.2% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $103,200 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Tallahassee, FL to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (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
| Tallahassee, FL | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,170 in Tucson | $96,928 in Tallahassee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,204/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,520 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Tallahassee, FL and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tallahassee | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tallahassee, FL → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
59 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tallahassee, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Tallahassee, FL to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tallahassee, FL | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Tallahassee → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tallahassee, FL | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Tallahassee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $55,020 | $47,220 | $45,769 (−16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,800 | $123,710 | $119,909 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $61,840 | $76,320 | $73,975 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,430 | $94,110 | $91,219 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.