City comparison
McAllen, TX vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 5.3% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $105,300 in Oklahoma City, OK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Oklahoma City, OK and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in McAllen, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from McAllen, TX to Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by −5.0%, purely from prices.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much 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
| McAllen, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,254 in Oklahoma City | $95,008 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
53 Fair offer
Oklahoma City, OK → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from McAllen, TX to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, McAllen → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $48,780 | $46,345 (−26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $122,390 | $116,281 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $77,280 | $73,422 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $82,920 | $78,781 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.