City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 3.9% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $103,900 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Oklahoma City, OK ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,258 in Oklahoma City | $103,888 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
81 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Cleveland → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $48,780 | $50,677 (−33.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $122,390 | $127,148 (+14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $77,280 | $80,285 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $82,920 | $86,144 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.