Question 1

Is Houston or Oklahoma City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $553/month less than in Houston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,573/mo in Houston versus $1,244/mo in Oklahoma City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Houston vs Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $70,000/year before tax in Houston, TX and $62,000/year in Oklahoma City, OK — a difference of about $8,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Houston 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 $7,739/month in Houston 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 Houston 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	Houston59	Oklahoma City72
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,993	$3,440
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,739	$6,504
Salary for comfort	$70,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,573	$1,244
Median home value	$253,400	$215,100
Median household income	$62,894	$66,702
Unemployment	4.5%	4.2%
Housing score	53	87
Jobs score	46	24
Safety score	4	70
Climate score	98	96
Amenities score	69	55
Population	2.3M	688.7K
Summer high / winter low	93° / 44°	94° / 29°

Houston, TX vs Oklahoma City, OK