Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/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 $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 46% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$993
$795
+20% in Juneau, AK
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$891
+29% in Juneau, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$1,146
+30% in Juneau, AK
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$1,520
+22% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$242,200
+44% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$54,546
+46% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,760

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
34.6 yr
+5.2 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
51.7%
+12.7 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
30.2%
+10.3 pp in Juneau, AK
Avg Commute
15.8 min
22.2 min
+6.4 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
645.8
+25% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
2,113.1
3,460
+64% 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
42.1°F
70.2°F
+28.1°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
11.6 in
+50.7 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$5.21/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
15.2
+46% in Juneau, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$24.74
+43% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / AZ)
None
5.6%
+5.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AZ

Juneau vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Tucson?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no 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).