Oklahoma City, OK vs. Tulsa, OK
Median rent is $1,083 a month in Oklahoma City, OK and $998 in Tulsa, OK. Household income is $66,702 against $58,407. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.
A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.
What the gap means
Occupation wages in both metros
May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.
| Occupation | Oklahoma City, OK median | Tulsa, OK median | vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $24,960 | $26,460 | +6.0% |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,160 | $29,810 | -1.2% |
| General and Operations Managers | $97,110 | $96,150 | -1.0% |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $84,790 | +2.3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,330 | $38,560 | -2.0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $18,200 | $18,350 | +0.8% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $54,720 | $58,790 | +7.4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $31,960 | $32,170 | +0.7% |
Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.
Oklahoma City, OK vs Tulsa, OK: frequently asked questions
Is Tulsa, OK more expensive than Oklahoma City, OK?
No. Prices in Tulsa, OK are about 1.7% lower than in Oklahoma City, OK: a regional price level of 89.5 against 91.0, where the U.S. average is 100.
How much do I need to earn in Tulsa, OK to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Oklahoma City, OK?
About $98,300. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (91.0 in Oklahoma City, OK, 89.5 in Tulsa, OK) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.
Is rent cheaper in Oklahoma City, OK or Tulsa, OK?
The median gross rent is $1,083 a month in Oklahoma City, OK and $998 in Tulsa, OK, a difference of $85 a month or $1,020 a year.
Where are household incomes higher, Oklahoma City, OK or Tulsa, OK?
The median household income is $66,702 in Oklahoma City, OK and $58,407 in Tulsa, OK. Rent takes 19.5% of the median income in Oklahoma City, OK and 20.5% in Tulsa, OK.
What salary do I need to afford the median rent in Tulsa, OK?
About $39,900 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $998 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $43,300 in Oklahoma City, OK.
More comparisons with Oklahoma City, OK
More comparisons with Tulsa, OK
Definitions used on this page
- Salary needed for the median rent
- Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
- Price level
- BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
- Same standard of living
- A salary in Oklahoma City, OK converted into Tulsa, OK at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
- Buying power
- One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.
Sources
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- BEA — BEA Regional Price Parities 2023
Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.
Full detail for each city: Oklahoma City, OK · Tulsa, OK