City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 5.7% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $105,700 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,660 in Atlanta, GA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 27% in Atlanta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Denver, CO ($112,556 → $118,675), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,721 in Denver | $94,589 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
48 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Denver, CO | Real change, Atlanta → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,819 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $83,265 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $99,800 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $118,675 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $140,239 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $76,910 | $72,748 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $137,610 | $130,164 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $100,020 | $94,608 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $101,130 | $95,658 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.