City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 7.0% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $107,000 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 $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Tulsa, 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 Tulsa, OK ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,448 in Tulsa | $107,011 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $987/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 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
91 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Columbus → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $48,220 | $51,601 (−34.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $108,730 | $116,353 (−4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $81,320 | $87,022 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $84,790 | $90,735 (+8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.