City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 18.0% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $118,000 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,116 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,987 in Sacramento | $84,755 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,116/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,116/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Oklahoma City → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | −6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | −6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | −6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $103,390 | $87,628 (+79.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $139,640 | $118,352 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $92,110 | $78,068 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $171,460 | $145,321 (+75.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.