City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Surprise | Tucson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,822/mo | $991/mo | 83.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $352,600 | $218,200 | 61.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $87,756 | $52,049 | 68.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Surprise, you'd need $54,388 in Tucson to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tucson, AZ is about 45.6% cheaper overall than Surprise, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in Tucson than in Surprise. If you earn $80,000 in Surprise, you'd need about $43,510 in Tucson to keep the same standard of living.