City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 8.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $108,700 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $421 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Provo, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Provo, UT changes real buying power by −8.0%, purely from prices.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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 | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,654 in Provo | $92,035 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$421/yr.
44 Weak offer
Provo, UT → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$421/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Provo, UT | Real change, Oklahoma City → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $62,930 | $57,918 (+18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $131,210 | $120,759 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $75,700 | $69,671 (−9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $81,780 | $75,266 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.