City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 12.4% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $112,400 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,955 in OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Tulsa, OK ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,949 in Tulsa | $112,424 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Detroit → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $48,220 | $54,211 (−16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $108,730 | $122,239 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $81,320 | $91,423 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $84,790 | $95,324 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.