City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and Denver, CO (105.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $100,600 in Denver, CO.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO and $1,754 in Denver, CO.
- Both are in CO, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,692 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Denver-Aurora, CO), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $118,675 in either. A transfer from Boulder, CO to Denver, CO changes real buying power by −0.5%, purely from prices.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,551 in Denver | $99,452 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Denver, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
63 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Denver-Aurora, CO locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Denver, CO | Real change, Boulder → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,819 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,265 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,800 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $118,675 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $140,239 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $76,910 | $76,488 (−5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $137,610 | $136,855 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $100,020 | $99,472 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $101,130 | $100,576 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.