Cost of Living: Chico, CA vs Tucson, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Chico, CA versus $4,370/mo in Tucson, AZ. In the model, rent is about 21.02% of gross in Chico, CA versus 16.82% in Tucson, AZ, so Tucson, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Chico, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Tucson, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Chico, CA
21.02%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Tucson, AZ
16.82%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Chico, CA and Tucson, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Tucson, AZ
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Tucson, AZ
  • Lower home prices: Tucson, AZ
  • Higher median household income: Tucson, AZ

Cost of Living Index

Chico, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Tucson, AZ: 94.2 (U.S. = 100)

Tucson, AZ has a lower cost-of-living index than Chico, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Chico, CA: $1,370/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Tucson, AZ: $1,097/mo

Median rent in Chico, CA is $273/mo higher than in Tucson, AZ.

Median Home Price

Chico, CA: $455,300 · Tucson, AZ: $286,900

Median home price in Chico, CA is $168,400 higher than in Tucson, AZ.

Median Household Income

Chico, CA: $67,929 · Tucson, AZ: $67,929

Median household income is similar in both cities.

Chico, CA overview · Tucson, AZ overview · Popular comparisons