CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs Tucson, AZ Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
AZ
Tucson
96.9
overall index
$1,475/mo rent

Asheville and Tucson have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing1.7%
Asheville
93.4
Tucson
91.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Asheville
96.6
Tucson
96.2
🚗 Transportation+1.6%
Asheville
103.1
Tucson
104.8
🏥 Healthcare+1.6%
Asheville
93.3
Tucson
94.8
Utilities+1.0%
Asheville
88.6
Tucson
89.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Asheville to see what you'd need to earn in Tucson to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Tucson, AZ
$80,300
$300 more needed in Tucson

Formula: salary × (96.9 ÷ 96.5) = salary × 1.0041. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Asheville, NC

Median Home Price
$413,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
93.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.7×

Tucson, AZ

Median Home Price
$338,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,475
Housing Index
91.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.1×

Asheville has 1.7% lower housing costs compared to Tucson.

Income & Job Market

Asheville, NC

Median Household Income
$67,800
Per Capita Income
$38,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
92,452
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareTechnologyArtsManufacturing

Tucson, AZ

Median Household Income
$69,800
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
4.6%
Population
542,629
Top Industries
MilitaryEducationHealthcareTourismManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Asheville, NC
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Tucson, AZ
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.