City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 5.3% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $105,300 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Tulsa, OK ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,986 in Tulsa | $105,278 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,987/yr.
85 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,987/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Cleveland → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $48,220 | $50,765 (−33.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $108,730 | $114,469 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $81,320 | $85,612 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $84,790 | $89,265 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.