City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 3.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $103,100 in Oklahoma City, OK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK and $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Oklahoma City, OK | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,029 in Tuscaloosa | $103,062 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
78 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Oklahoma City, OK to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Oklahoma City → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $60,220 | $62,064 (+27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $104,870 | $108,081 (−11.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $71,690 | $73,885 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $75,250 | $77,554 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.