City comparison
Provo, UT vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 10.1% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $110,100 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $421 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT to Tulsa, OK changes real buying power by +10.1%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Provo, UT | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,820 in Tulsa | $110,108 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$421/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$421/yr.
40 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 Provo, UT to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Provo → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $48,220 | $53,094 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $108,730 | $119,721 (−8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $81,320 | $89,540 (+18.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $84,790 | $93,361 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.