Living Cost Compare
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,400/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,400 in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 10% higher in Philadelphia, PA. Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Philadelphia, PA
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,126
$795
+29% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$1,189
$891
+25% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,394
$1,146
+18% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,406
$1,520
+8% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$232,400
$242,200
+4% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$60,698
$54,546
+10% in Philadelphia, PA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,310
$47,760
+12% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.1 yr
34.6 yr
+0.5 yr in Philadelphia, PA
Homeownership
52.3%
51.7%
+0.6 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.6%
30.2%
+4.4 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
32.0 min
22.2 min
+9.8 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
916.8
645.8
+30% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
4,614.3
3,460
+25% in Philadelphia, PA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
57.1°F
70.2°F
+13.1°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
48.5 in
11.6 in
+36.9 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.30/gal
$5.57/gal
+29% in Tucson, AZ

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
20.9
15.6
+25% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.67
$19.69
+18% 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)
$1.92
$2.10
+9% in Tucson, AZ
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.23
+5% in Tucson, AZ
Chicken (lb)
$2.02
$2.14
+6% in Tucson, AZ
Bananas (lb)
$0.68
$0.74
+9% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (PA / AZ)
6%
5.6%
+0.4 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.07%
2.50%
+0.6 pp in PA

Philadelphia vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Philadelphia or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,400, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Philadelphia than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Philadelphia versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Philadelphia or Tucson?
Philadelphia is taxed under Pennsylvania's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% 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).