Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Tucson?

Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Morgantown than in Tucson?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Tucson?

Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Morgantown vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Morgantown, WV versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $42,245 in Morgantown, WV and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 23% higher in Tucson, AZ. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Morgantown, WV

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$836

$795

+5% in Morgantown, WV

1 Bedroom

$770

$891

+16% in Tucson, AZ

2 Bedroom

$969

$1,146

+18% in Tucson, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,038

$1,520

+46% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$238,200

$242,200

+2% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$42,245

$54,546

+29% in Tucson, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,350

$47,760

+1% in Tucson, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

24.0 yr

34.6 yr

+10.6 yr in Tucson, AZ

Homeownership

44.3%

51.7%

+7.4 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.1%

30.2%

+27.9 pp in Morgantown, WV

Avg Commute

17.3 min

22.2 min

+4.9 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

216.3

645.8

+199% in Tucson, AZ

Property Crime

1,976.4

3,460

+75% 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

53.0°F

70.2°F

+17.2°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

41.8 in

11.6 in

+30.2 in in Morgantown, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Tucson, AZ

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.4

15.2

+2% in Morgantown, WV

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.68

$24.74

+0% 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 Morgantown, WV

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 (WV / AZ)

5.6%

+0.4 pp in WV

Income Tax (top rate)

4.82%

2.50%

+2.3 pp in WV

Morgantown vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Morgantown or Tucson?: Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Morgantown than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Morgantown versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Morgantown or Tucson?: Morgantown is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% 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).