on $100k a year, leaving Philadelphia
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
under Philadelphia, every month
Tucson gives you room Philadelphia doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
23% cheaper than Philadelphia(vs $1,869/mo)
2.5%
$360/mo less in state tax than Philadelphia
vs 6.82% in Philadelphia
$6,681/mo
$785 more than Philadelphia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
10% cheaper than Philadelphia
vs $393k in Philadelphia
1.1M
vs 6.2M in Philadelphia
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Philadelphia only logs 173 pleasant days. Heat is the cost: 94 days top 95° vs Philadelphia's 2.
Lighter on events: Philadelphia packs 5.6× more into a month.
66/100
4% lower than Philadelphia
vs 69/100 in Philadelphia
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
33% lower than Philadelphia
vs 100/100 in Philadelphia
16
87% fewer than Philadelphia
vs 122 nonstops in Philadelphia
cities that play in tucson's register:
compare tucson with:
