Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/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 $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 42% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 64% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$795
+54% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$891
+44% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,146
+39% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,520
+38% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$242,200
+53% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$54,546
+64% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$47,760
+13% in Naperville, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
34.6 yr
+5.5 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
51.7%
+22.6 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
30.2%
+41.5 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
22.2 min
+9.2 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
645.8
+654% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
892.2
3,460
+288% 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
49.9°F
70.2°F
+20.3°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
11.6 in
+25.3 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
15.2
+36% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$22.44
+46% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Tucson, AZ
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Tucson, AZ
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Tucson, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Naperville, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / AZ)
6.25%
5.6%
+0.7 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
2.50%
+2.5 pp in IL

Naperville vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 42% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Tucson?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% 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).