City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 7.3% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $107,300 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,330 in Rochester | $93,171 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
47 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Rochester, NY | Real change, Oklahoma City → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $62,840 | $58,548 (+20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $122,770 | $114,385 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $80,890 | $75,366 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $86,570 | $80,658 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.