OKC ranks fifth lowest in cost of living

The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) has released its Quarter 1 2025 Cost of Living Index. Among the 251 urban areas surveyed, the after-tax cost for a professional or managerial lifestyle ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) to more than 20% below the national average in Harlingen, Texas. 

Oklahoma City reported an overall index of 81.0, or 19 points below the national average, ranking it as the fifth least expensive urban area among all cities in the study. The city’s index dropped slightly by 1.3 points compared to the 2024 annual average. 

Muskogee ranked sixth on the list of least expensive urban areas, with an index of 81.7. Ponca City followed at No. 10, with an index of 82.4. 

Here is the full breakdown for OKC in Quarter 1 of 2025, along with changes from the 2024 annual report: 

• Composite: 81.0 (-1.3) 
• Grocery: 94.7 (-0.2) 
• Housing: 58.5 (-1.6) 
• Utilities: 96.7 (-0.1) 
• Transportation: 84.7 (-6.6) 
• Health care: 99.9 (-4.0) 
• Miscellaneous goods and services: 86.2 (+0.2) 

The index tracks price differences across six categories: housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services. It covers 61 items, with data collected quarterly by local chambers of commerce, economic development groups and university research centers. The index does not include taxes or non-consumer expenses. 

C2ER publishes the index quarterly to help compare living costs in metropolitan areas across the country.