

Oklahoma City vs Tulsa
$13/mo more in Tulsa
Oklahoma CityTulsaAbout 94 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Tulsa leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 227 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,538/mo in Tulsa. $2,525/mo in Oklahoma City. +$156 a year.
Oklahoma City
$2,525
left each month
Tulsa
$2,538
+$13 vs Oklahoma City
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 1,393 households moved Oklahoma City → Tulsa (avg AGI $56,352). 1,462 went the other way. The whole move →
+$13 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Oklahoma City | Tulsa | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,000 | $7,000 | $0 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,668 | $1,668 | $0 |
| Take-home pay | $5,332 | $5,332 | $0 |
| Rent | $960 | $967 | +$7 |
| Getting around | $542 | $536 | −$6 |
| Groceries | $360 | $356 | −$4 |
| Healthcare | $405 | $401 | −$4 |
| Utilities | $225 | $223 | −$2 |
| Everything else | $315 | $312 | −$3 |
| Left over | $2,525 | $2,538 | +$13 |
Salary to match Oklahoma City
$84,000
Gross pay in Tulsa that leaves the same amount as $84,000 in Oklahoma City.
Tax difference
$0
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.8% in Oklahoma City, 23.8% in Tulsa.
More about Tulsa
Oklahoma City, OK in full
The cheapest housing of any metro over a million people.
Tulsa, OK in full
Paid remote workers to move here, and the housing math is why it worked.
The other way
Start in Tulsa.
Tulsa → Oklahoma City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Tulsa than Oklahoma City?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Tulsa leaves about $13 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $960 in Oklahoma City and $967 in Tulsa.
Does Tulsa have state income tax?
Tulsa is in Oklahoma, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Oklahoma City to Tulsa?
The paycheck is taxed in Oklahoma. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Oklahoma City and Tulsa changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.