City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 5.6% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $105,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Oklahoma City, OK ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,699 in Oklahoma City | $105,598 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
86 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Columbus → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $48,780 | $51,511 (−34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,390 | $129,241 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,280 | $81,606 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,920 | $87,562 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.