Moving to Oklahoma from Arizona

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Arizona to Oklahoma? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Arizona to Oklahoma, you would find that Oklahoma is 1.1% more expensive than Arizona. A $75,000 salary in Arizona would need to be roughly $66,393 in Oklahoma to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oklahoma City averages 71°F vs 87°F in Phoenix, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Arizona and Oklahoma.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $66,393

To maintain the same standard of living in Oklahoma

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 13.6% less

Groceries

pay 0.8% less

Transportation

pay 4.6% more

Housing

pay 23.2% less

Childcare

pay 39.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Oklahoma compared to Arizona.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
398
OK
407
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
1752
OK
2112

Arizona performs better than Oklahoma across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

AZ
10.0%
OK
12.7%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AZ
33.6%
OK
40.3%

Arizona performs better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

AZ
$358,900
OK
$185,900
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

AZ
$1,431
OK
$980

Oklahoma generally does better on what about housing?, though Arizona leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AZ
90.5%
OK
87.4%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

AZ
26 min
OK
22 min

Arizona generally does better on infrastructure, though Oklahoma leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AZ
4.0%
OK
3.8%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AZ
$58,628
OK
$51,007

Arizona generally does better on employment & economy, though Oklahoma leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

AZ
76.3 yrs
OK
74.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

AZ
21%
OK
18%

Arizona performs better than Oklahoma across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phoenix Rain: 8.2 in/yr (208 mm)
87° / 63°F

Avg. annual high / low

Oklahoma City Rain: 32.4 in/yr (823 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phoenix Oklahoma City
Jan–Mar 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) 55°/33°F (13°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) 80°/58°F (26°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) 90°/69°F (32°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 60°/39°F (16°/4°C)
View all months
Month Phoenix Oklahoma City
Jan 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.5°C)
Feb 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) 53°/31°F (11.9°/-0.6°C)
Mar 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) 62°/39°F (16.6°/4.0°C)
Apr 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) 71°/48°F (21.5°/9.1°C)
May 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) 80°/58°F (26.4°/14.7°C)
Jun 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.4°C)
Jul 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) 93°/72°F (34.0°/22.2°C)
Aug 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) 92°/71°F (33.6°/21.5°C)
Sep 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.1°C)
Oct 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) 72°/50°F (22.4°/10.1°C)
Nov 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) 60°/39°F (15.6°/3.9°C)
Dec 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) 49°/29°F (9.7°/-1.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Oklahoma than Arizona?

On average Oklahoma is about 11% less expensive than Arizona, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Oklahoma?

Budget about $16,598 for 3 months in Oklahoma (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Oklahoma safe?

Arizona performs better than Oklahoma across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Oklahoma compared to Arizona?

Arizona performs better than Oklahoma across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Oklahoma compared to Arizona?

The average high temperature in Oklahoma City is 71°F, compared to 87°F in Phoenix. Oklahoma City receives around 32.4 in of rainfall per year, while Phoenix gets 8.2 in.

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