same $100k income, fresh start from Chicago
changea dispatch from
tucson
AZ
32.25°N
110.91°W
Tucson is the first U.S. city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the Sonoran hot dogs alone justify the trip. The saguaros stand around like skinny green sentries, the mountains ring the city in every direction, and the sunsets do that thing where the whole sky turns watermelon. The University of Arizona keeps the energy young. The monsoons in July are genuinely thrilling, and the dry desert nights keep the patios full long after dark.
in our guides
the verdict
cheaper each month than Chicago
Tucson sits well below Chicago on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
33% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
2.5%
$204/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,681/mo
$930 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
3% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
1.1M
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Chicago only manages 153 of those. The trade is summer: 94 days above 95°, vs 1 in Chicago.
Chicago hosts 39.2× more events.
66/100
6% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
33% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
16
93% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
cities that play in tucson's register:
compare tucson with:
