$100k a year, no longer in Portland
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 Portland, every month
Tucson is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
37% cheaper than Portland(vs $2,285/mo)
2.5%
$417/mo less in state tax than Portland
vs 7.5% in Portland
$6,681/mo
$1,258 more than Portland
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
35% cheaper than Portland
vs $543k in Portland
1.1M
vs 566k in Portland
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Portland only logs 145 pleasant days. Summer asks for something in return: 94 days top 95° here, 0 in Portland.
About as much going on as in Portland.
66/100
7% lower than Portland
vs 71/100 in Portland
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
32% lower than Portland
vs 98/100 in Portland
16
700% more than Portland
vs 2 nonstops in Portland
if tucson appeals, also worth a look:
compare tucson with:
