Rio Rico, Arizona is about 60 miles by road from Tucson, which is roughly a 1 hour drive in normal traffic.

Quick Scoop

  • Driving distance: About 60 miles by highway between Tucson and Rio Rico.
  • Travel time by car: Typically around 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, depending on traffic and exact starting/ending points.
  • Straight‑line distance: Around 80–81 miles “as the crow flies,” but you’ll actually drive the shorter, direct I‑19 route.

If you imagine hopping on I‑19 south from Tucson and cruising past Green Valley and Nogales, Rio Rico is one of the last communities before the border, making it feel like a quick desert run rather than a long road trip.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.