Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Tucson?

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Omaha, NE's $1,120, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Tucson?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Omaha vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,120 in Omaha, NE versus $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Omaha, NE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 25% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$908

$795

+12% in Omaha, NE

1 Bedroom

$984

$891

+9% in Omaha, NE

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,146

+4% in Omaha, NE

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,520

+6% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$242,200

+5% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$54,546

+25% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$47,760

+4% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

34.6 yr

+0.7 yr in Omaha, NE

Homeownership

57.7%

51.7%

+6.0 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

30.2%

+10.1 pp in Omaha, NE

Avg Commute

19.6 min

22.2 min

+2.6 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.6

645.8

+80% in Tucson, AZ

Property Crime

3,153

3,460

+10% 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

51.1°F

70.2°F

+19.1°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

11.6 in

+19.0 in in Omaha, NE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$5.57/gal

+28% in Tucson, AZ

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

15.6

+19% in Tucson, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.06

$19.69

+63% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.37

+6% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$2.10

+17% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.25

+38% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$7.23

+4% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$2.14

+1% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.74

+18% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / AZ)

5.5%

5.6%

+0.1 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

2.50%

+2.0 pp in NE

Omaha vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Tucson?: Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Omaha, NE's $1,120, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Tucson?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).