City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 3.6% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $103,600 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 $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Eugene, OR ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,546 in Eugene | $103,578 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
80 Strong offer
Eugene, OR → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Eugene, OR | Real change, Boulder → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $64,260 | $66,559 (−17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $121,050 | $125,381 (−23.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,930 | $82,790 (−17.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $113,720 | $117,789 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.