City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Toledo, OH are 2.5% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $102,500 in Toledo, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Toledo, OH to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +2.5%, purely from prices.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (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
| Toledo, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,550 in Tulsa | $102,512 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
77 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Toledo, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
61 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 Toledo, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Toledo → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,250 | $48,220 | $49,431 (−21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $108,730 | $111,461 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $81,320 | $83,363 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $84,790 | $86,920 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.