City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 11.4% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $111,400 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $263 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Colorado Springs, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Oklahoma City, OK ($109,246 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- 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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,773 in Oklahoma City | $111,392 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,017/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 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$263/yr.
100 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$263/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Colorado Springs → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $48,780 | $54,337 (−11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $122,390 | $136,332 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $77,280 | $86,083 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $82,920 | $92,366 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.