City comparison
Reno, NV vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 13.2% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $113,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,955 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Reno, NV to Tulsa, OK ($106,855 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.8% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,318 in Tulsa | $113,227 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,955/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,955/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Reno → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $61,722 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $74,678 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $89,508 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $106,437 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $125,776 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,260 | $101,790 | $115,253 (+17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $108,730 | $123,111 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $81,320 | $92,076 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $84,790 | $96,005 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.