City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 7.2% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $107,200 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,081 a month in Tucson, AZ versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Tucson, AZ and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,663 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,176 in Tucson | $93,304 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,663/yr.
48 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,663/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Oklahoma City → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $47,220 | $44,058 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $123,710 | $115,427 (−5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $76,320 | $71,210 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $94,110 | $87,809 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.