Question 1

Is Detroit or Oklahoma City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $609/month less than in Detroit, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $1,244/mo in Oklahoma City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $62,000/year in Oklahoma City, OK — a difference of about $16,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or Oklahoma City cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $6,504/month in Oklahoma City, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Oklahoma City costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit59	Oklahoma City72
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$3,440
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$6,504
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$1,244
Median home value	$76,800	$215,100
Median household income	$39,575	$66,702
Unemployment	10.7%	4.2%
Housing score	62	87
Jobs score	37	24
Safety score	18	70
Climate score	87	96
Amenities score	82	55
Population	636.6K	688.7K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	94° / 29°

Detroit, MI vs Oklahoma City, OK