Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,010/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,010 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 8% higher in Tucson, AZ. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$881
$795
+10% in Baton Rouge, LA
1 Bedroom
$854
$891
+4% in Tucson, AZ
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$1,146
+7% in Tucson, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,520
+22% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$242,200
+8% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$54,546
+9% in Tucson, AZ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$47,760
+2% in Baton Rouge, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
34.6 yr
+2.8 yr in Tucson, AZ
Homeownership
46.9%
51.7%
+4.8 pp in Tucson, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
30.2%
+5.6 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Avg Commute
21.1 min
22.2 min
+1.1 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
645.8
+112% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
1,756.3
3,460
+97% in Tucson, AZ

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
68.5°F
70.2°F
+1.7°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
11.6 in
+49.0 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.09/gal
+40% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Sun Tran (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
15.2
+8% in Tucson, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$22.44
+35% in Tucson, AZ

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Tucson, AZ
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Tucson, AZ
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Baton Rouge, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Tucson, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Tucson, AZ
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Tucson, AZ

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / AZ)
5%
5.6%
+0.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
2.50%
+0.5 pp in LA

Baton Rouge vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or Tucson?
Baton Rouge, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or Tucson?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).