Median rent is 19% lower in Tucson ($1,145/mo vs $1,413/mo). Buying is cheaper in Tucson, where the median home runs $266,200 versus $372,900. Households earn more in Madison ($78,050 vs $57,073 a year).
City A
Madison, WI
City B
Tucson, AZ
How much would you need to earn in Tucson, AZ to maintain your standard of living from Madison, WI?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Madison
Wisconsin
Tucson
Arizona
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Tucson at $1,145/mo compared to $1,413/mo in Madison (19% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Madison: the median home is $372,900 versus $266,200 in Tucson — 29% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Madison
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Tucson
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Both cities have similar air quality: Madison averages 27.0 AQI (Good) and Tucson averages 26.0 AQI (Good).
Pick Madison if you prioritize higher median household income ($78,050/yr).
Pick Tucson if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,145/mo median).
Is Madison cheaper than Tucson?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Madison vs Tucson?
Median rent is $1,413/mo in Madison, WI and $1,145/mo in Tucson, AZ. Tucson, AZ has the lower rent by about 19%.
Which has higher salaries — Madison or Tucson?
Median household income is $78,050 in Madison, WI and $57,073 in Tucson, AZ. Madison, WI has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Tucson, AZ has better air quality on average: 26.0 AQI versus 27.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Madison or Tucson?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Tucson to match my Madison income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
