City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 17.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $117,700 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,116 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Riverside, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +17.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,735 in Riverside | $84,936 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,116/yr.
32 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,116/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Riverside, CA | Real change, Oklahoma City → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $98,520 | $83,679 (+71.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $133,270 | $113,195 (−7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $83,920 | $71,279 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $133,940 | $113,764 (+37.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.