Question 1

Is Philadelphia or Tulsa cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $939/month less than in Philadelphia, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,810/mo in Philadelphia versus $1,217/mo in Tulsa.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Philadelphia vs Tulsa?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $86,000/year before tax in Philadelphia, PA and $62,000/year in Tulsa, OK — a difference of about $24,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Philadelphia or Tulsa cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Tulsa, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,840/month in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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	Philadelphia52	Tulsa60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,381	$3,442
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,840	$6,571
Salary for comfort	$86,000/yr	$62,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,810	$1,217
Median home value	$232,400	$189,600
Median household income	$60,698	$58,407
Unemployment	5.0%	4.7%
Housing score	47	80
Jobs score	49	18
Safety score	4	20
Climate score	100	98
Amenities score	46	53
Population	1.6M	412.3K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 27°	93° / 28°

Philadelphia, PA vs Tulsa, OK