$100k salary, packing up from Los Angeles
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
below Los Angeles's monthly cost
In Tucson, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
50% cheaper than Los Angeles(vs $2,899/mo)
2.5%
$567/mo less in state tax than Los Angeles
vs 9.3% in Los Angeles
$6,681/mo
$2,022 more than Los Angeles
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
66% cheaper than Los Angeles
vs $1029k in Los Angeles
1.1M
vs 12.8M in Los Angeles
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Los Angeles edges ahead with 283 pleasant days. Summer asks for something in return: 94 days top 95° here, 19 in Los Angeles.
But the calendar thins out: Los Angeles stays 10.5× busier.
66/100
1% lower than Los Angeles
vs 67/100 in Los Angeles
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
30% lower than Los Angeles
vs 96/100 in Los Angeles
16
89% fewer than Los Angeles
vs 150 nonstops in Los Angeles
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