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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Tulsa, OK costs roughly 17% less than in Knoxville, TN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.82 $16.82

$17.69 $17.69

-4.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 $70.7

$84.6 $84.6

-16.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$10.02 $10.02

1.70%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$5.83 $5.83

-14.58%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.46 $2.46

7.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.35 $2.35

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.36 $6.36

-22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 $6.45

$6.27 $6.27

2.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.08 $1.08

4.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.77 $3.77

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$4.01 $4.01

52.37%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$3.77 $3.77

-4.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$10.07 $10.07

8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 $11.33

$8.51 $8.51

33.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$15.47 $15.47

-3.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$6.27 $6.27

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.38 $1.38

28.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$2.59 $2.59

45.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$5.40 $5.40

-24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.20 $2.20

25.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.55 $4.55

-26.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.40 $2.40

-23.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.23 $2.23

-10.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.37 $9.37

$9.09 $9.09

3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$14.85 $14.85

-19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.81 $1.81

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.86 $2.86

33.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.02 $1.02

74.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.84 $45.84

$29.43 $29.43

55.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.96 $4.96

-60.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.51 $1.51

-16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.15 $30.15

$29.48 $29.48

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$0.85 $0.85

-11.76%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$30.3K $30.3K

17.68%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.5K $26.5K

-6.33%

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

$231 $231

$240 $240

-3.78%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$53.5 $53.5

8.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$68.8 $68.8

-4.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 $48.39

$35.13 $35.13

37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.03 $20.03

$25.38 $25.38

-21.08%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$14.27 $14.27

-4.84%

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

$1,077 $1,077

$1,140 $1,140

-5.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$20.6K $20.6K

21.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$55.7 $55.7

14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.27 $46.27

$59.2 $59.2

-21.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$109 $109

4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$121 $121

-0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 $1,149

$1,655 $1,655

-30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 $899

$1,289 $1,289

-30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 $1,746

$3,168 $3,168

-44.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$1,805 $1,805

-20.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,805 $1,805

$4,694 $4,694

-61.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,662 $1,662

$2,222 $2,222

-25.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,424 $3,424

$3,511 $3,511

-2.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.59

-0.46%

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

Last update for Tulsa, OK: April 20, 2026

Last update for Knoxville, TN: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,149 in Tulsa, OK and $1,655 in Knoxville, TN. 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: $71 in Tulsa, OK vs $85 in Knoxville, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $375 vs $372, 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

Tulsa, OK vs Knoxville, TN: 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.

On paper, Knoxville, TN earns 3% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,149 in Tulsa, OK versus $1,655 in Knoxville, TN. 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.