City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 2.7% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $102,700 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,105 a month in South Bend, IN versus $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in South Bend, IN and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,034 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 Oklahoma City, OK to South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −2.6%, purely from prices.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,710 in South Bend | $97,362 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → South Bend, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,034/yr.
61 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,034/yr.
77 Strong 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 Oklahoma City, OK to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | South Bend, IN | Real change, Oklahoma City → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $58,180 | $56,645 (+16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $95,500 | $92,980 (−24.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $77,940 | $75,884 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $93,540 | $91,072 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.