$100k a year, no longer in Columbia
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
less monthly outlay than Columbia
Tucson is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
7% cheaper than Columbia(vs $1,551/mo)
2.5%
$333/mo less in state tax than Columbia
vs 6.5% in Columbia
$6,681/mo
$440 more than Columbia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
38% more expensive than Columbia
vs $255k in Columbia
1.1M
vs 857k in Columbia
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Columbia barely cracks 189 pleasant ones. Summer asks for something in return: 94 days top 95° here, 27 in Columbia.
Nights and weekends fill up faster. 1.7× more on the calendar than Columbia.
66/100
20% higher than Columbia
vs 55/100 in Columbia
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
21% lower than Columbia
vs 85/100 in Columbia
16
60% more than Columbia
vs 10 nonstops in Columbia
neighbors of tucson on the map of tradeoffs:
compare tucson with:
