City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 8.7% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $108,700 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,119 a month in Milwaukee, WI versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Milwaukee, 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.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Tulsa, OK ($111,310 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,033 in Tulsa | $108,657 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$35/yr.
96 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$35/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Milwaukee → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $48,220 | $52,394 (−14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $108,730 | $118,142 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $81,320 | $88,360 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $84,790 | $92,130 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.