City comparison
Albany, NY vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 6.2% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $106,200 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Albany, NY to Denver, CO ($109,810 → $118,675), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,243 in Denver | $94,124 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
46 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Denver, CO | Real change, Albany → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $68,819 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $83,265 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $99,800 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $118,675 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $140,239 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $76,910 | $72,391 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $137,610 | $129,524 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $100,020 | $94,143 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $101,130 | $95,187 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.