City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 14.3% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $114,300 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,663 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.5% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,277 in Phoenix | $87,506 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,663/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,663/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Oklahoma City → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $59,180 | $51,786 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $131,750 | $115,290 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $80,820 | $70,723 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $100,830 | $88,233 (+6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.