City comparison
Spartanburg, SC vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spartanburg, SC are 2.1% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $102,100 in Spartanburg, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,083 a month in Spartanburg, SC versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Spartanburg, SC and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $888 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Spartanburg, SC to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +2.1%, purely from prices.
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (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
| Spartanburg, SC | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.1 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,982 in Tulsa | $102,059 in Spartanburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,083/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,650 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spartanburg, SC and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spartanburg | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.0 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 91.1 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spartanburg, SC → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$888/yr.
75 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$888/yr.
62 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 Spartanburg, SC to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spartanburg, SC | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Spartanburg → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spartanburg, SC | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Spartanburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,990 | $48,220 | $49,213 (−19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $114,460 | $108,730 | $110,969 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,080 | $81,320 | $82,994 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,360 | $84,790 | $86,536 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.