City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 12.0% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $112,000 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Cleveland, OH ($118,675 → $111,138), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,279 in Cleveland | $112,009 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,058/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Boulder → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,448 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,977 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,461 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,138 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,331 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $76,470 | $85,653 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $111,310 | $124,677 (−24.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,000 | $89,607 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $83,940 | $94,020 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.