City comparison
Madison, WI vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 9.0% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $109,000 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,955 in OK.
- 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 Madison, WI to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +9.0%, purely from prices.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,702 in Tulsa | $109,049 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$35/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$35/yr.
43 Weak 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 Madison, WI to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Madison → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $48,220 | $52,583 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $108,730 | $118,569 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $81,320 | $88,679 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $84,790 | $92,463 (−8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.