Lakewood vs Tucson
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Lakewood
Tucson
💡 The Verdict
Tucson is 13% cheaper than Lakewood overall. A $75,000 salary in Lakewood is equivalent to $65,187 in Tucson.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Lakewood (left) vs Tucson (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Lakewood versus Tucson. Differences shown from Lakewood perspective.
| Item | Lakewood | Tucson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,050/mo | $830/mo | +$220.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,400/mo | $1,100/mo | +$300.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,950/mo | $1,470/mo | +$480.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $3.06 | $2.77 | +$0.29 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.64 | $3.65 | $-0.01 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.59 | $3.19 | +$0.40 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.00 | $5.72 | +$0.28 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.31 | $2.90 | +$0.41 |
| Restaurant Meal | $17.14 | $12.79 | +$4.35 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Lakewood has the same purchasing power as $65,187 in Tucson.
Conversely, $75,000 in Tucson equals $86,290 in Lakewood.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1425 difference is driven by Colorado having a higher state income tax rate. Colorado details → · Arizona details →
Reading These Numbers: Lakewood (107) vs Tucson (93)
Lakewood at 107 is 7% above the US average, while Tucson at 93 is 7% below average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Lakewood, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 98, followed by groceries (105), utilities (93), transportation (96), and healthcare (113). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,400/mo in Lakewood and $1,100/mo in Tucson, the annual rent difference is approximately $3,600.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $18,000.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $39,000.0 difference in median home prices between Lakewood and Tucson translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Lakewood vs Tucson
Choosing between Lakewood and Tucson involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Lakewood and Tucson reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.