City comparison
Boulder, CO vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 7.0% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $107,000 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,795 in Boulder, CO. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 29% in Boulder, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in New York, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Boulder, CO to New York, NY ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,997 in New York | $93,461 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
22 Weak offer
New York, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | New York, NY | Real change, Boulder → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | New York, NY | New York pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $96,900 | $90,563 (+12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $166,830 | $155,920 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $105,650 | $98,741 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $119,720 | $111,891 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.