Is it cheaper to live in Shreveport or Tucson?

Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Shreveport versus $36,000 in Tucson.

Which has lower taxes, Shreveport or Tucson?

Shreveport is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Shreveport vs Tucson Cost of Living 2026

Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,000 in Shreveport, LA versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $48,465 in Shreveport, LA and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 11% higher in Tucson, AZ. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Shreveport, LA

Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio

$756

$795

+5% in Tucson, AZ

1 Bedroom

$843

$891

+6% in Tucson, AZ

2 Bedroom

$978

$1,146

+17% in Tucson, AZ

3 Bedroom

$1,136

$1,520

+34% in Tucson, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$178,100

$242,200

+36% in Tucson, AZ

Income

Median Household Income

$48,465

$54,546

+13% in Tucson, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$44,820

$47,760

+7% in Tucson, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.5 yr

34.6 yr

+2.9 yr in Shreveport, LA

Homeownership

53.8%

51.7%

+2.1 pp in Shreveport, LA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

27.5%

30.2%

+2.7 pp in Tucson, AZ

Avg Commute

19.0 min

22.2 min

+3.2 min in Tucson, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,235.4

645.8

+48% in Shreveport, LA

Property Crime

4,048.2

3,460

+15% in Shreveport, LA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

65.5°F

70.2°F

+4.7°F in Tucson, AZ

Annual Precipitation

51.0 in

11.6 in

+39.3 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$5.09/gal

+40% in Tucson, AZ

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.2

15.2

+8% in Tucson, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$16.62

$22.44

+35% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Tucson, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Tucson, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Shreveport, LA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Tucson, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Tucson, AZ

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Tucson, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / AZ)

5.6%

+0.6 pp in AZ

Income Tax (top rate)

3.00%

2.50%

+0.5 pp in LA

Shreveport vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Shreveport or Tucson?: Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Shreveport than in Tucson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Shreveport versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Shreveport or Tucson?: Shreveport is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 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).