City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 1.8% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $101,800 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 $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Phoenix, AZ ($118,675 → $111,338), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,207 in Phoenix | $101,825 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
74 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Boulder → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,564 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,117 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,629 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,338 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,568 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $59,180 | $60,260 (−25.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $131,750 | $134,155 (−18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $80,820 | $82,295 (−17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $100,830 | $102,671 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.