Question 1

Is Memphis or Oklahoma City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Oklahoma City, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $90/month less than in Memphis, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,274/mo in Memphis versus $1,244/mo in Oklahoma City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Memphis vs Oklahoma City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $60,500/year before tax in Memphis, TN and $62,000/year in Oklahoma City, OK — a difference of about $1,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Memphis 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 $6,533/month in Memphis 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 Memphis 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	Memphis57	Oklahoma City72
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,530	$3,440
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,533	$6,504
Salary for comfort	$60,500/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,274	$1,244
Median home value	$157,100	$215,100
Median household income	$51,211	$66,702
Unemployment	4.7%	4.2%
Housing score	68	87
Jobs score	31	24
Safety score	4	70
Climate score	100	96
Amenities score	47	55
Population	629.1K	688.7K
Summer high / winter low	90° / 30°	94° / 29°

Memphis, TN vs Oklahoma City, OK