City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 4.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $104,900 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $981 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Tulsa, OK.
- 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 Roanoke, VA to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +4.9%, purely from prices.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (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
| Roanoke, VA | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,296 in Tulsa | $104,936 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$981/yr.
84 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$981/yr.
54 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 Roanoke, VA to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Roanoke → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $48,220 | $50,600 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $108,730 | $114,097 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $81,320 | $85,334 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $84,790 | $88,976 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.