City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 9.2% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $109,200 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,578 in Nashville, TN. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Nashville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Nashville, TN ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,574 in Nashville | $109,201 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
98 Strong offer
Nashville, TN → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Nashville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Nashville, TN | Real change, Boulder → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,460 | $67,115 (−16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $126,610 | $138,259 (−16.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $78,080 | $85,264 (−14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $84,040 | $91,772 (−11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.