City comparison
Denver, CO vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 17.0% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $117,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, 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 Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Oklahoma City, OK ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,466 in Oklahoma City | $117,005 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/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 | 28% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$263/yr.
100 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$263/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Denver → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $48,780 | $57,075 (−25.8%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $122,390 | $143,203 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $77,280 | $90,422 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $82,920 | $97,021 (−4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.