City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 10.2% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $110,200 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Columbus, OH ($118,675 → $111,065), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,748 in Columbus | $110,195 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,194/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Columbus, OH | Real change, Boulder → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,406 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,926 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,400 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,065 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,245 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $78,150 | $86,117 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $122,340 | $134,812 (−18.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $81,700 | $90,029 (−10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $83,900 | $92,454 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.