Question 1

Is Detroit or Tucson cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $468/month less than in Detroit, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $1,402/mo in Tucson.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Tucson?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $63,000/year in Tucson, AZ — a difference of about $15,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Tucson cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Tucson, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $7,069/month in Tucson, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Tucson?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Tucson costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit59	Tucson67
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$3,581
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$7,069
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$63,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$1,402
Median home value	$76,800	$242,200
Median household income	$39,575	$54,546
Unemployment	10.7%	4.8%
Housing score	62	46
Jobs score	37	12
Safety score	18	91
Climate score	87	86
Amenities score	82	58
Population	636.6K	543.3K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	99° / 42°

Detroit, MI vs Tucson, AZ