Living Cost Compare
Seattle

Washington

$2,020/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 $2,020 in Seattle, WA versus $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 48% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $121,984 in Seattle, WA and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 55% higher in Seattle, WA. Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Seattle, WA
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,638
$795
+51% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,858
$891
+52% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$2,359
$1,146
+51% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,918
$1,520
+48% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$912,100
$242,200
+73% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$121,984
$54,546
+55% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$72,610
$47,760
+34% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.5 yr
34.6 yr
+0.9 yr in Seattle, WA
Homeownership
44.2%
51.7%
+7.5 pp in Tucson, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
67.5%
30.2%
+37.3 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
26.6 min
22.2 min
+4.4 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
787.3
645.8
+18% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
5,107.9
3,460
+32% in Seattle, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
53.5°F
70.2°F
+16.7°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
37.7 in
11.6 in
+26.1 in in Seattle, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.77/gal
$5.57/gal
+4% in Seattle, WA

Area: Seattle vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.4
15.6
+8% in Tucson, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.32
$19.69
+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WA / AZ)
6.5%
5.6%
+0.9 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AZ

Seattle vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Seattle or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 48% below Seattle, WA's $2,020, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Seattle than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Seattle versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Seattle or Tucson?
Seattle is taxed under Washington's rules (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).