City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.1% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $104,100 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 $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.0% moving from Boulder, CO to Reno, NV ($118,675 → $106,855), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,019 in Reno | $104,146 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,489/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
82 Strong offer
Reno, NV → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Reno, NV | Real change, Boulder → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,965 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,972 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,859 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,855 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,271 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $62,430 | $65,018 (−19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $125,710 | $130,922 (−20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,370 | $85,785 (−14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $107,520 | $111,978 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.