City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 8.5% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $108,500 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,795 in Boulder, CO. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 29% in Boulder, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Boulder, CO to Miami, FL ($118,675 → $113,356), while prices change by +8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,510 in Miami | $92,157 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
36 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Boulder, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Miami, FL | Real change, Boulder → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $65,735 | −12.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $79,533 | −12.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $95,326 | −12.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $113,356 | −12.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $133,953 | −12.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $58,300 | $53,728 (−33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $132,650 | $122,246 (−25.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,920 | $74,574 (−25.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $91,380 | $84,213 (−18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.