City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.0% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $105,000 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 $1,478 in Las Vegas, NV. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Las Vegas, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Las Vegas, NV ($118,675 → $108,719), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,260 in Las Vegas | $104,976 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
84 Strong offer
Las Vegas, NV → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Boulder → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,046 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,280 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,427 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,719 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,473 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $65,040 | $68,277 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $129,940 | $136,406 (−17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,530 | $84,537 (−15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $103,940 | $109,112 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.