City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in El Paso, TX (89.9) and Tulsa, OK (89.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in El Paso, TX goes as far as $99,200 in Tulsa, OK.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX and $987 in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in El Paso, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from El Paso, TX to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +0.8%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much 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
| El Paso, TX | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,224 in Tulsa | $100,782 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Tulsa, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
71 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → El Paso, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Tulsa, OK | Real change, El Paso → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $48,220 | $48,597 (−23.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $108,730 | $109,581 (−13.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $81,320 | $81,956 (+24.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $84,790 | $85,453 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.