City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 14.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $114,700 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +14.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,669 in Olympia | $87,207 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Olympia, WA | Real change, Oklahoma City → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $104,650 | $91,263 (+87.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $124,060 | $108,190 (−11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $94,470 | $82,385 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $125,020 | $109,027 (+31.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.