City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 1.3% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $101,300 in Oklahoma City, OK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- Both are in OK, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,955 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +1.3%, purely from prices.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,679 in Tulsa | $101,338 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Tulsa, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
73 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair 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 Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Oklahoma City → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $48,220 | $48,865 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $108,730 | $110,185 (−10.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $81,320 | $82,408 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $84,790 | $85,925 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.