City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 6.9% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $106,900 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,987 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Tulsa, OK ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,545 in Tulsa | $106,900 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
90 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
49 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Cincinnati → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $114,300 | $101,790 | $108,814 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $108,730 | $116,233 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $81,320 | $86,931 (+7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $84,790 | $90,641 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.