Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Tucson?

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Raleigh versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Tucson?

Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Raleigh vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/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 $1,490 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $82,424 in Raleigh, NC and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 34% higher in Raleigh, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Raleigh, NC

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$1,301

$795

+39% in Raleigh, NC

1 Bedroom

$1,323

$891

+33% in Raleigh, NC

2 Bedroom

$1,462

$1,146

+22% in Raleigh, NC

3 Bedroom

$1,715

$1,520

+11% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$377,800

$242,200

+36% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income

$82,424

$54,546

+34% in Raleigh, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,990

$47,760

+8% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.7 yr

34.6 yr

+0.1 yr in Raleigh, NC

Homeownership

51.2%

51.7%

+0.5 pp in Tucson, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

52.9%

30.2%

+22.7 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

23.4 min

22.2 min

+1.2 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

491.5

645.8

+31% in Tucson, AZ

Property Crime

2,838

3,460

+22% 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

60.6°F

70.2°F

+9.6°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

46.0 in

11.6 in

+34.4 in in Raleigh, NC

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)

$1.25

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.0

15.6

+3% in Raleigh, NC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.50

$19.69

+13% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

$4.37

+5% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.73

$2.10

+21% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.25

+3% in Tucson, AZ

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

$7.23

+10% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.14

+12% in Tucson, AZ

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

$0.74

+21% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / AZ)

4.75%

5.6%

+0.8 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

3.99%

2.50%

+1.5 pp in NC

Raleigh vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Tucson?: Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Raleigh than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Raleigh versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Tucson?: Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).