City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 12.6% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $112,600 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $806 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,571 in Providence | $88,833 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$806/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$806/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Providence, RI | Real change, Oklahoma City → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $86,720 | $77,036 (+57.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $130,690 | $116,096 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $95,020 | $84,409 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $99,880 | $88,726 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.