City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 11.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $111,700 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.1% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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 | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,731 in Reno | $89,500 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
38 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Reno, NV | Real change, Oklahoma City → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $62,430 | $55,875 (+14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $125,710 | $112,511 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $82,370 | $73,722 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $107,520 | $96,231 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.