City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 9.5% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $109,500 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Pensacola, FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +9.5%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pensacola, FL | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,298 in Tulsa | $109,531 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
99 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
42 Weak 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 Pensacola, FL to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Pensacola → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $48,220 | $52,816 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $108,730 | $119,093 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $81,320 | $89,071 (+16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $84,790 | $92,871 (+19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.