All cities / Arizona / Tucson
Tucson, AZ for digital nomads
The lowest 1-bedroom rent on this list, and the buses and streetcar are free.
As of October 2026, a 1-bedroom near downtown Tucson runs $1,100 a month on HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent, against $1,092 across the whole metro area, which includes the far-out and less walkable parts. The downtown walkability index is 14.6 out of 20 (above average), 9.8% of households get by with no car, and the fastest advertised home internet is 8 Gbps from Quantum Fiber. An entire-home Airbnb has a median of $155 a night. The city has 19 open breweries.
- 1-bed near downtown
- $1,100HUD FY2027, utilities in
- 1-bed metro-wide
- $1,092HUD, whole metro
- Walkability
- 14.6/20Above average
- No-car households
- 9.8%Car needed
- Fastest internet
- 8 GbpsQuantum Fiber
- Transit ride
- FreeSun Tran
- Airbnb night
- $155median, entire home
- July high
- 100°FNOAA normal
- Breweries
- 19open, in city
Live in Tucson? Tell us what you pay and your number joins the resident figures below the housing section.
Walkability and internet in Tucson
| Provider | Type | Top speed | Addresses covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum (formerly Cox) | Cable | 2 Gbps | 97% |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | 8 Gbps | 66% |
Housing costs in Tucson
The headline number is HUD's Small Area Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom, utilities included, taken as the median of 8 ZIP codes within 2 miles of downtown: the same circle the walkability score covers, so the rent and the walkability describe the same place. The metro-wide figure is HUD's rent for the whole Tucson, AZ MSA, which is lower in most cities because it includes outlying areas. The Census figure is what current tenants pay inside the city limits.
What people in Tucson say they pay
A second opinion on the official figures, from readers who live here. Each number shows once three people have reported it, marked low confidence until there are five: the middle value of the last 12 months of reports, with the highest and lowest 10% set aside. Reports are stored as numbers only.
Food costs in Tucson
Burger and fries at local restaurants
| Restaurant | What was priced | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lindy's on 4th | The OG cheeseburger $14.00 + half order fries $5.00 | $19.00 |
| Brooklyn's Beer & Burger * | Classic Cheese Burger $12.99 + any side $3.00 | $15.99 |
| Trident Grill | Trident burger (1/2 lb basic burger, lettuce tomato onion; toppings $1 each, none added) $15.75, choice of Old Bay fries included | $15.75 |
| Frog & Firkin | The Firkin Burger (1/3 lb) with cheese $14.95, served with firkin fries | $14.95 |
| HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery | Tucson Urban Burger $17 (the only burger on the menu; bacon, cheddar, chipotle BBQ), served with parmesan fries | $17.00 |
* Price read from a third-party menu or delivery page, which can run higher than in-store.
Cheese pizza at local pizzerias
| Pizzeria | What was priced | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Pizza Company | Extra Large 16 inch cheese pie, 16 inch | $21.00 |
| Rocco's Little Chicago Pizzeria | Thin crust cheese pizza, 16 inch, 16 inch | $21.99 |
| Trident Pizza Pub | Build Your Own Pizza, Large 16 inch (red sauce, mozzarella and provolone, no toppings), 16 inch | $20.00 |
| Fresco Pizzeria & Pastaria | Build Your Own 16 inch (10 slices), no toppings, 16 inch | $23.00 |
| Frog & Firkin | Build Your Own Large cheese pizza; size in inches not stated on the menu | $23.75 |
Getting around Tucson without a car
| How residents get to work | Share |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.9% |
| Public transit | 2.5% |
| Walk | 3% |
| Bike | 1.3% |
| Work from home | 12.4% |
Source: Census ACS 2024 1-year, table B08301.
Weather in Tucson by month
30-year averages for 1991 to 2020 from the Tucson Intl Ap weather station, 6.4 miles from downtown.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high | 67°F | 69°F | 76°F | 83°F | 92°F | 101°F | 100°F | 99°F | 95°F | 86°F | 75°F | 66°F |
| Average low | 41°F | 43°F | 48°F | 53°F | 62°F | 71°F | 76°F | 75°F | 70°F | 59°F | 48°F | 41°F |
| Rain, inches | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
Places to work in Tucson
Counts are within 2 miles of downtown.
Coworking spaces within 10 miles
| Coworking space | Address | Miles from downtown |
|---|---|---|
| Spoke6 | 439 North 6th Avenue | 0.5 |
| Connect Coworking | 33 South 5th Avenue | 0.5 |
Makerspaces and hackerspaces within 10 miles
None mapped within 10 miles of downtown on OpenStreetMap. That usually means nobody has added them yet, not that there are none.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, read Oct 2026. Names link to the space's own website where one is mapped, otherwise to its map entry. Volunteers keep this map, so some spaces are missing; tell us about one and it can be added upstream.
Breweries in Tucson
19 breweries listed as open inside the Tucson city limits on Open Brewery DB, a community-kept directory, read Oct 2026. Breweries in nearby suburbs are not counted, and a few new ones may be missing.
Camping and van life near Tucson
Public land and campgrounds within 50 miles of downtown, from federal map services, read Oct 2026. Distances are straight-line from downtown, so driving is further.
Free overnight spot for van lifers
No named free camping area is mapped within 50 miles, but there is BLM land within 10 miles, where dispersed camping is free on most parcels for up to 14 days.
Nearest public campgrounds and dispersed areas
| Site | Type | Miles | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Hirabayashi Campground | Campground | 17 | Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Group site |
| Molino Basin Campground | Campground | 18.4 | Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Group site |
| Spencer Canyon Campground | Campground | 19.3 | Camping fee is $28.00 per night for single sites. No more than 6 people per numbered site, |
| Whitetail Group Site | Campground | 19.4 | Site #1 is $135 a night, with a maximum of 40 people and 8 parking spaces. Site #2 is $151 |
| Rose Canyon Campground | Campground | 19.7 | Camping fee is $28.00 per night for single sites. No more than 6 people per numbered site, |
| Showers Point Group Campground | Campground | 19.7 | Showers Point Group Sites #1, #2, #3 each rent for $103.00 each. Firewood is $8.00 per bun |
| General Hitchcock Campground | Campground | 20 | Camping: $20 per day/night. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access Pass $10. |
| Peppersauce Campground | Campground, RV | 26.4 | Single site: $15. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $7.50. Group si |
| Bog Springs Campground | Campground | 34.7 | Single site: $20. With Golden Age/Access or Interagency Senior/Access pass $10. Payable wi |
| Ironwood Forest National Monument | BLM campground, 1 sites | 35.1 | See page |
| Las Cienagas National Conservation Area | BLM campground, 6 sites | 35.2 | See page |
| Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness | BLM campground, 1 sites | 49.9 | See page |
Source: Forest Service recreation sites and BLM recreation sites, read Oct 2026. Fees are quoted from the agency page and change by season; check the linked page before you go.
Air quality and natural hazards in Tucson
| Natural hazard | FEMA risk rating |
|---|---|
| Heat wave | Very High |
| Wildfire | Relatively High |
| Hurricane | Very Low |
| Tornado | Relatively Low |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate |
| Inland flooding | Very High |
| Coastal flooding | Not Applicable |
| Winter weather | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025, for Pima County. Ratings compare this county with every other US county and count the people and buildings exposed, so large counties tend to rate higher.
Indie hacking scene in Tucson
General startup scene
Startup Tucson runs the TENWEST festival downtown each spring, and Founder Institute has a local chapter. No dedicated indie hacker group turned up.
Found by web search in Oct 2026. Meetups come and go, so check the link for current dates.
Questions people ask
How much is rent in Tucson, AZ?
Near downtown, $1,100 a month for a 1-bedroom and $980 for a studio, utilities included: that is HUD's FY2027 Small Area Fair Market Rent, the median of 8 ZIP codes within 2 miles of downtown, as of October 2026. Across the whole Tucson, AZ MSA the figure is $1,092, 1% less, because it includes outlying areas. Current tenants inside the city limits report a median of $1,101 for a 1-bedroom (Census ACS 2024 1-year).
Is Tucson walkable?
Above average by the EPA's National Walkability Index: the area within 2 miles of downtown Tucson scores 14.6 out of 20, and the area within 5 miles scores 13. 3% of residents walk to work.
Do you need a car in Tucson?
Car needed. 9.8% of Tucson households own no car, 2.5% of residents commute by public transit, and a single Sun Tran ride is free. The bike network scores 41 out of 100 with PeopleForBikes.
How fast is home internet in Tucson?
The fastest advertised home plan is 8 Gbps fiber from Quantum Fiber, offered to 66% of addresses according to FCC coverage data. The cheapest advertised plan starts at $50 a month before fees. Speeds are advertised, not measured.
Is there free camping near Tucson?
No named free camping area is mapped within 50 miles of downtown. BLM land starts within 10 miles and allows free dispersed camping on most parcels.
What does an Airbnb cost in Tucson?
The median nightly rate for an entire home was $155 in Sep 2026, from AirROI's market model. That is a modeled estimate, not a listing count.
How hot does Tucson get in summer?
The hottest month is June with an average high of 101°F and nights around 71°F. The coldest month averages a low of 41°F. These are NOAA 30-year normals for 1991 to 2020.
How many breweries are in Tucson?
19 breweries are listed as open inside the city limits on Open Brewery DB as of Oct 2026: 17 microbreweries, 2 brewpubs. See every Tucson brewery with a link and a map.
Is Tucson good for indie hackers?
General startup scene. Startup Tucson runs the TENWEST festival downtown each spring, and Founder Institute has a local chapter. No dedicated indie hacker group turned up.
Know Tucson? Spot a wrong number, a missing link or something worth adding? Suggest an update for Tucson.
Rent by ZIP code near downtown Tucson
HUD publishes rent for each ZIP code. These are the ones within 2 miles of downtown, cheapest 1-bedroom first; each has its own page.
Nearest cities on the site
- Las Vegas, NV 362 mi, $1,340
- San Diego, CA 362 mi, $2,660
- Riverside, CA 390 mi, $1,700
- Anaheim, CA 417 mi, $2,480
Cities with similar rent
Compare Tucson with another city
- Tucson vs Austin
- Tucson vs Denver
- Tucson vs Las Vegas
- Tucson vs San Diego
- Tucson vs Chattanooga
- Tucson vs Anaheim
- Tucson vs Riverside
- Every comparison
Or open a city on its own: Austin, TX, Denver, CO, Chicago, IL, Las Vegas, NV, San Diego, CA, Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA, Chattanooga, TN, Asheville, NC, Anaheim, CA, Riverside, CA, Nashville, TN, Portland, OR.