Living Cost Compare
Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,500 in Tacoma, WA versus $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tacoma, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,857 in Tacoma, WA and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 35% higher in Tacoma, 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.

Tacoma, WA
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,178
$795
+33% in Tacoma, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,332
$891
+33% in Tacoma, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,693
$1,146
+32% in Tacoma, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,094
$1,520
+27% in Tacoma, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$454,600
$242,200
+47% in Tacoma, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,857
$54,546
+35% in Tacoma, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$72,610
$47,760
+34% in Tacoma, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.3 yr
34.6 yr
+2.7 yr in Tacoma, WA
Homeownership
56.5%
51.7%
+4.8 pp in Tacoma, WA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
30.2%
+3.3 pp in Tacoma, WA
Avg Commute
29.0 min
22.2 min
+6.8 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,064.4
645.8
+39% in Tacoma, WA
Property Crime
5,695.2
3,460
+39% in Tacoma, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.1°F
70.2°F
+18.1°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
43.0 in
11.6 in
+31.4 in in Tacoma, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.12/gal
$5.09/gal
+1% in Tacoma, WA

Area: Washington vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
15.2
+2% in Tucson, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.41
$22.44
+10% in Tucson, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
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

Tacoma vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Tacoma or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Tacoma, WA's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Tacoma than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Tacoma versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Tacoma or Tucson?
Tacoma 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).