City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 14.8% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $114,800 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,043 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.4% moving from Birmingham, AL to Boulder, CO ($107,510 → $118,675), while prices change by +14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Birmingham, AL | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,794 in Boulder | $87,112 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,043/yr.
32 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,043/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Boulder, CO | Real change, Birmingham → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $68,819 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $83,265 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $99,800 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $118,675 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $140,239 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $80,640 | $70,247 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $164,560 | $143,352 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $99,990 | $87,104 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $103,290 | $89,978 (+14.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.