Moving from Tulsa to Oklahoma City
Your paycheck buys about the same in Oklahoma City as in Tulsa. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Oklahoma City: $71,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $71,100 in Oklahoma City, OK to match $70,000 in Tulsa, OK ($1,100 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Oklahoma, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Tulsa vs Oklahoma City: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,115 → $1,162/mo
- Median home value
- $247,500 → $253,200
- Median household income
- $69,658 → $72,930
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 89.2 → 90.4
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (90.7 → 91.7 of 100)
Tulsa vs Oklahoma City cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Tulsa, OK | Oklahoma City, OK |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 89.2 | 90.4 |
| Median rent | $1,115 | $1,162 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $44,600 | $46,480 |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $253,200 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,663 | $1,716 |
| Income needed to buy | $71,257 | $73,547 |
| Median property tax | $1,999 | $2,278 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $2,605 | $2,605 |
| Metro population | 1,060,423 | 1,497,821 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Tulsa vs Oklahoma City
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $39,779 a year in Tulsa and $40,343 in Oklahoma City if you rent: $564 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $46,351 and $46,992 ($641 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | TulsaBefore | Oklahoma CityAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $14,530 | $14,530 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,585 | $1,585 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,084 | $1,084 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,952 | $1,952 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,248 | $7,248 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $13,380 | $13,944 | +$564 |
| Total if you rent | $39,779 | $40,343 | +$564 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $15,728 | $16,090 | +$362 |
| Property tax median home | $1,999 | $2,278 | +$279 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,225 | $2,225 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $46,351 | $46,992 | +$641 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $10,809 a year in Tulsa and $10,809 in Oklahoma City (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Tulsa to Oklahoma City
About 1,462 households (2,397 people) moved from the Tulsa metro area to the Oklahoma City metro area in 2022–2023, making Oklahoma City the #1 destination for people leaving Tulsa among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,393 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $52,098.
Cost to move from Tulsa to Oklahoma City
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 120 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Tulsa vs Oklahoma City
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Tulsa area among the highest (score 90.7) and the Oklahoma City area among the highest (score 91.7), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $470 vs $420 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Oklahoma City cheaper than Tulsa?
Overall prices in the Oklahoma City area are 1.3% higher than in Tulsa (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,162 vs $1,115 a month, and the median home is $253,200 vs $247,500.
What salary do I need in Oklahoma City to match $100,000 in Tulsa?
About $101,500, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Oklahoma, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Tulsa to Oklahoma City?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 120 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Tulsa to Oklahoma City?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,462 households (2,397 people) moved from the Tulsa metro area to the Oklahoma City metro area, and 1,393 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Tulsa move
- Dallas 645 households
- Houston 263 households
- Fayetteville 204 households
- Denver 181 households
- Kansas City 142 households
- Los Angeles 140 households
- Austin 112 households
- Phoenix 109 households