City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 2.4% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $102,400 in Fayetteville, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $267 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Fayetteville, AR.
- 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 Fayetteville, AR to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +2.4%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (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
| Fayetteville, AR | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,659 in Tulsa | $102,398 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$267/yr.
76 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$267/yr.
61 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 Fayetteville, AR to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Fayetteville → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $48,220 | $49,376 (−19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $108,730 | $111,337 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $81,320 | $83,270 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $84,790 | $86,823 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.