City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 7.1% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $107,100 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $385 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Tulsa, OK ($107,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (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
| Albuquerque, NM | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,373 in Tulsa | $107,098 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$385/yr.
91 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$385/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Albuquerque → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $48,220 | $51,642 (−31.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $108,730 | $116,447 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $81,320 | $87,092 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $84,790 | $90,808 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.