Question 1

Is Detroit or Tulsa cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $607/month less than in Detroit, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $1,217/mo in Tulsa.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs Tulsa?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

Is Detroit or Tulsa cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $6,571/month in Tulsa, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or Tulsa?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Tulsa 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	Tulsa60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$3,442
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$6,571
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$1,217
Median home value	$76,800	$189,600
Median household income	$39,575	$58,407
Unemployment	10.7%	4.7%
Housing score	62	80
Jobs score	37	18
Safety score	18	20
Climate score	87	98
Amenities score	82	53
Population	636.6K	412.3K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	93° / 28°

Detroit, MI vs Tulsa, OK