City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 6.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $106,700 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $473 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Asheville, NC.
- 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 Asheville, NC to Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +6.7%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,681 in Oklahoma City | $106,745 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$473/yr.
90 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$473/yr.
49 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 Asheville, NC to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Asheville → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $48,780 | $52,070 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,390 | $130,645 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $77,280 | $82,493 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $82,920 | $88,513 (+8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.