City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 8.6% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $108,600 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $473 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: 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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,571 in Raleigh | $92,106 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$473/yr.
44 Weak offer
Raleigh, NC → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$473/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Oklahoma City → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $60,170 | $55,420 (+13.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $132,770 | $122,288 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $81,950 | $75,480 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $84,830 | $78,133 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.