City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 17.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $117,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $263 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Tulsa, OK ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,803 in Tulsa | $117,921 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$263/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$263/yr.
32 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Boulder → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $101,790 | $120,032 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $108,730 | $128,215 (−22.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $81,320 | $95,893 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $84,790 | $99,985 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.