Question 1

Is Mesa or Tulsa cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $740/month less than in Mesa, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,839/mo in Mesa versus $1,217/mo in Tulsa.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Mesa vs Tulsa?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $76,000/year before tax in Mesa, AZ and $62,000/year in Tulsa, OK — a difference of about $14,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Mesa or Tulsa cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,730/month in Mesa 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 Mesa 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	Mesa72	Tulsa60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,182	$3,442
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,730	$6,571
Salary for comfort	$76,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,839	$1,217
Median home value	$364,300	$189,600
Median household income	$78,779	$58,407
Unemployment	4.0%	4.7%
Housing score	49	80
Jobs score	37	18
Safety score	93	20
Climate score	74	98
Amenities score	92	53
Population	507.5K	412.3K
Summer high / winter low	105° / 39°	93° / 28°

Mesa, AZ vs Tulsa, OK