Question 1

Is Houston or Tulsa cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $551/month less than in Houston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,573/mo in Houston versus $1,217/mo in Tulsa.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Houston vs Tulsa?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

Is Houston or Tulsa cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,739/month in Houston 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 Houston 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	Houston59	Tulsa60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,993	$3,442
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,739	$6,571
Salary for comfort	$70,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,573	$1,217
Median home value	$253,400	$189,600
Median household income	$62,894	$58,407
Unemployment	4.5%	4.7%
Housing score	53	80
Jobs score	46	18
Safety score	4	20
Climate score	98	98
Amenities score	69	53
Population	2.3M	412.3K
Summer high / winter low	93° / 44°	93° / 28°

Houston, TX vs Tulsa, OK