City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Montgomery, AL (89.7) and Tulsa, OK (89.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Montgomery, AL goes as far as $99,500 in Tulsa, OK.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Tulsa, 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 Montgomery, AL to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +0.5%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (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
| Montgomery, AL | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,478 in Tulsa | $100,525 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Tulsa, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
70 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
67 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 Montgomery, AL to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Montgomery → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $48,220 | $48,473 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $108,730 | $109,300 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $81,320 | $81,747 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $84,790 | $85,235 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.