Cost of Living Comparison Between Knoxville, TN and Tulsa, OK Cost of Living Comparison Between Knoxville, TN and Tulsa, OK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,627 in Knoxville, TN versus $2,174 in Tulsa, OK.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,703 in Knoxville, TN versus $3,199 in Tulsa, OK.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,779 in Knoxville, TN versus $4,225 in Tulsa, OK.

Living in Knoxville, TN is roughly 21% more expensive than Tulsa, OK, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Knoxville, TN 96% above, Tulsa, OK 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$16.82 $16.82

5.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$70.7 $70.7

19.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$10.19 $10.19

-1.67%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$4.98 $4.98

17.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.65 $2.65

-7.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.80 $1.80

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.36 $6.36

$4.93 $4.93

29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 $6.27

$6.45 $6.45

-2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.13 $1.13

-4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.74 $3.74

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$6.11 $6.11

-34.37%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.59 $3.59

5.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.88 $10.88

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$11.33 $11.33

-24.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.47 $15.47

$14.99 $14.99

3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$4.18 $4.18

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.78 $1.78

-22.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.76 $3.76

-31.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$4.09 $4.09

32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.77 $2.77

-20.58%

Onion (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.33 $3.33

36.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.83 $1.83

31.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.99 $1.99

12.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$9.37 $9.37

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$11.90 $11.90

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.77 $1.77

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.83 $3.83

-25.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.78 $1.78

-42.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 $29.43

$45.84 $45.84

-35.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.96 $1.96

153.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.26 $1.26

19.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.48 $29.48

$30.15 $30.15

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.75 $0.75

13.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K $30.3K

$35.6K $35.6K

-15.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$24.9K $24.9K

6.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$240 $240

$231 $231

3.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$58.0 $58.0

-7.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$65.9 $65.9

4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.13 $35.13

$48.39 $48.39

-27.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.38 $25.38

$20.03 $20.03

26.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.27 $14.27

$13.58 $13.58

5.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,140 $1,140

$1,077 $1,077

5.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K $20.6K

$25.2K $25.2K

-17.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$63.9 $63.9

-12.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 $59.2

$46.27 $46.27

27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$113 $113

-3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$120 $120

0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 $1,655

$1,149 $1,149

44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$899 $899

43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,168 $3,168

$1,746 $1,746

81.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,805 $1,805

$1,428 $1,428

26.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,694 $4,694

$1,805 $1,805

160.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,222 $2,222

$1,662 $1,662

33.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,511 $3,511

$3,424 $3,424

2.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.56

0.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Knoxville, TN: April 22, 2026

Last update for Tulsa, OK: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,655 in Knoxville, TN and $1,149 in Tulsa, OK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Knoxville, TN pays 3% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85 in Knoxville, TN vs $71 in Tulsa, OK. Groceries flip the comparison at $372 vs $375, with Knoxville, TN cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Knoxville, TN vs Tulsa, OK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tulsa, OK wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Knoxville, TN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tulsa, OK the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Knoxville, TN pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,655 in Knoxville, TN versus $1,149 in Tulsa, OK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Knoxville, TN pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tulsa, OK – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $85.0 in Knoxville, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,174 in Tulsa, OK versus $2,627 in Knoxville, TN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulsa, OK but tight or insufficient in Knoxville, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Tulsa, OK the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tulsa, OK delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,174 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tulsa, OK hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Tulsa, OK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Knoxville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.