Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas
A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tucson, AZ, driven mainly by natural gas costs.
Median household income is $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 27% higher in Sioux Falls, SD. South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.
Rent
Buying a Home
Income
People & Lifestyle
Crime (per 100k/yr)
FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.
Climate
Gas
Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).
Public Transit
Adult base one-way fare — — vs Sun Tran (2026).
Utilities
Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.
Groceries
Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.
State Taxes
Sioux Falls vs Tucson — FAQ
- Is it cheaper to live in Sioux Falls or Tucson?
- Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Tucson, AZ's $1,070, mainly because of natural gas costs.
- How much more do you need to earn to live in Sioux Falls than in Tucson?
- To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in Sioux Falls versus $36,000 in Tucson.
- Which has lower taxes, Sioux Falls or Tucson?
- Sioux Falls is taxed under South Dakota's rules (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).