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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Oklahoma's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Oklahoma City at index 89, where median rent of $1,255/month saves renters $7,680/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Oklahoma City — cost index 89, rent $1,255/mo, income $66,702
4 of 4 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Oklahoma's value. 4 out of 4 cities undercut the national cost index of 112. Leading the pack: Oklahoma City at index 89, where median rent of $1,255/month saves renters $7,680/year versus the national median.
Here's the thing: the 3.5× rule is a conservative benchmark: lenders often approve up to 4-5× income, but 3.5× keeps monthly payments safely under 28% of gross income at typical rates. That tracks. On $60K, that means targeting homes under $210,000. Oklahoma City offers a median home at $203,329 — a 3.4× ratio with room to spare.
Oklahoma City comes in at #1. Rent is $1,255 a month. Household income is $66,702. The cost of living index is 89. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. That's not nothing.
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Zoom out and it's complicated. In Oklahoma City, the healthcare index sits at 92 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma City | 89 | $1,255 | Details |
| 2 | Broken Arrow | 100 | $1,671 | Details |
| 3 | Tulsa | 89 | $1,207 | Details |
| 4 | Norman | 92 | $1,289 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
The #1 spot goes to Oklahoma City, and the breakdown explains why. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Renters here pay $1,255/month — for better or worse — — saving renters $7,680 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 73, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
119,194 residents · Oklahoma
Broken Arrow comes in at #2. Rent is $1,671 a month. Household income is $85,220. The cost of living index is 100. It lines up with what you'd expect. Quietly competitive.
411,894 residents · Oklahoma
In plain English: Tulsa comes in at #3. Rent is $1,207 a month. Household income is $58,407. The cost of living index is 89. That's a reasonable number.
130,046 residents · Oklahoma
At $1,289/month for rent and a cost index of 92, Norman is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $65,060. Nothing too surprising there.
Oklahoma City ranks #1 in Oklahoma for this analysis with a cost index of 89 and median income of $66,702.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Oklahoma City (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,255/mo, while Norman (ranked #4) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,289/mo — a 3-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Oklahoma City is $1,255/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $640 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Oklahoma City is $203,329, which is 3.0× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Oklahoma has a 4.75% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.97%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.82%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.