City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 15.9% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $115,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,322 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Oklahoma City, OK ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,249 in Oklahoma City | $115,943 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,322/yr.
100 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,322/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Minneapolis → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $48,780 | $56,557 (−29.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $122,390 | $141,903 (+8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $77,280 | $89,601 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $82,920 | $96,140 (−6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.