$100k a year, no longer in Salt Lake City
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 Salt Lake City
Tucson is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
a quick ledger.
$1,444/mo
10% cheaper than Salt Lake City(vs $1,608/mo)
2.5%
$179/mo less in state tax than Salt Lake City
vs 4.65% in Salt Lake City
$6,681/mo
$343 more than Salt Lake City
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$352k
40% cheaper than Salt Lake City
vs $584k in Salt Lake City
1.1M
vs 1.3M in Salt Lake City
field notes, weather & such.
202
pleasant days a year, in tucson.
Salt Lake City only manages 168 of those. The trade is summer: 94 days above 95°, vs 23 in Salt Lake City.
But the calendar thins out: Salt Lake City stays 1.9× busier.
66/100
15% lower than Salt Lake City
vs 78/100 in Salt Lake City
Closest outdoor draw: Saguaro National Park, 16.6 mi.
67/100
16% lower than Salt Lake City
vs 80/100 in Salt Lake City
16
82% fewer than Salt Lake City
vs 90 nonstops in Salt Lake City
neighbors of tucson on the map of tradeoffs:
compare tucson with:
