City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 6.6% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $106,600 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN to Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +6.6%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,845 in Oklahoma City | $106,559 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
89 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
50 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 Nashville, TN to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Nashville → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $48,780 | $51,980 (−15.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $122,390 | $130,418 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $77,280 | $82,349 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $82,920 | $88,359 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.