City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 6.6% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $106,600 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $995 a month in St. Louis, MO and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,763 a year in MO and $3,955 in OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Tulsa, OK ($109,137 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,823 in Tulsa | $106,584 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$192/yr.
89 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$192/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Tulsa, OK | Real change, St. Louis → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $48,220 | $51,395 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $108,730 | $115,889 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $81,320 | $86,674 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $84,790 | $90,373 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.