City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 10.0% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $110,000 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $473 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Tulsa, OK ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: 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
| Raleigh, NC | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,889 in Tulsa | $110,024 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$473/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$473/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Raleigh → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $48,220 | $53,054 (−11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $108,730 | $119,629 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $81,320 | $89,472 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $84,790 | $93,290 (+10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.