$90,000 in Tulsa ≈ $93,027 in Memphis (+3.4% cost of living)
$93,027
Target salary in Memphis for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices +3.4% vs Tulsa.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Tulsa to Memphis is housing & rent, which runs about 17.0% more expensive in Memphis.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for Tulsa → Memphis.
| Metric | Tulsa | Memphis | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 89.2 | 92.2 | +3.4% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 93.8 | 96.2 | +2.6% |
| Housing & rent | 68.2 | 79.8 | +17.0% |
| Everyday services | 95.5 | 95.4 | −0.1% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $93,027 COL target | +$3,027 (+3.4%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$3,550 | ~$0 | −$3,550 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $86,450 Tax match | −$3,550 (−3.9%) |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $93,027
- Tax parity target
- $86,450
Gross needed in Memphis for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in Tulsa, before taxes.
Gross needed in Memphis to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $86,450 (without accounting for the higher cost of living) .
On $90,000 in Tulsa, you keep about $86,450 after Oklahoma tax. Matching that take-home under Tennessee tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $3,550 less gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $86,450
- OK state tax
- $3,550
- TN state tax on match
- $0
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- −$3,550
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $93,027). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Memphis | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,070
Beats target
| +7.3% |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500
Beats target
| −3.9% |
| General and Operations Managers | $102,510
Beats target
| +6.6% |
| Office Clerks, General | $38,610
Beats target
| −4.4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $71,310
Beats target
| +14.3% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $44,540
Beats target
| +1.1% |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $45,800
Beats target
| +5.2% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $39,940
Beats target
| +2.5% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers jobs in Memphis
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Registered Nurses
- General and Operations Managers
- Office Clerks, General
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Accountants and Auditors
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Construction Laborers
- Human Resources Specialists
- Medical Assistants
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Project Management Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Electricians
- Financial Managers
- Managers, All Other
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Software Developers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Sales Managers
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Management Analysts
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Logisticians
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Lawyers
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Industrial Engineers
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Pharmacists
- Administrative Services Managers
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Compliance Officers
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Postal Service Mail Carriers
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Carpenters
- Dental Assistants
- Marketing Managers
- Bus Drivers, School
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Coaches and Scouts
- Machinists
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Healthcare Social Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Loan Officers
- Industrial Production Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Physical Therapists
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Civil Engineers
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Human Resources Managers
- Food Service Managers
- Instructional Coordinators
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Chief Executives
- Construction Managers
- Public Relations Specialists
- Medical Records Specialists
- Dental Hygienists
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Computer Network Architects
- Cost Estimators
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Graphic Designers
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Information Security Analysts
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Engineers, All Other
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Facilities Managers
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Occupational Therapists
- Data Scientists
- Mechanical Engineers
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Physician Assistants
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Electrical Engineers
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$58,790 in Tulsa → $63,070 in Memphis (+7.3%)
See current openings for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Memphis.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in Memphis
| In Tulsa | In Memphis |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $62,018 |
| $90,000 | $93,027 |
| $150,000 | $155,045 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Memphis to match $90,000 in Tulsa?
- About $93,027, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 89.2 and 92.2 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Memphis more expensive than Tulsa?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Tulsa to Memphis is housing & rent, which runs about 17.0% more expensive in Memphis. Overall cost of living index is 89.2 in Tulsa vs 92.2 in Memphis (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from Tulsa to Memphis?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is among the highest-employment matches: $58,790 in Tulsa vs $63,070 in Memphis (+7.3%; about 19,460 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from Tulsa to Memphis?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $93,027 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $86,450, the gross you’d need in Memphis to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$86,450) you keep after Oklahoma tax on $90,000 in Tulsa, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this Tulsa → Memphis move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from Tulsa to Memphis is housing & rent, which runs about 17.0% more expensive in Memphis. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.