City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 9.7% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $109,700 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $981 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Tulsa, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.3% moving from Richmond, VA to Tulsa, OK ($111,183 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Richmond, VA | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,167 in Tulsa | $109,689 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$981/yr.
99 Strong offer
Tulsa, OK → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$981/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Richmond → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $61,722 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $74,678 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $89,508 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $106,437 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $125,776 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $48,220 | $52,892 (−13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $108,730 | $119,265 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $81,320 | $89,199 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $84,790 | $93,005 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.