City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 1.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $101,700 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $284 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,662 in Omaha | $98,365 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$284/yr.
64 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$284/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Omaha, NE | Real change, Oklahoma City → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $62,670 | $61,645 (+26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $125,220 | $123,172 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $77,030 | $75,770 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $84,600 | $83,217 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.