City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Colorado Springs, CO (100.7) and Eugene, OR (101.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO goes as far as $100,900 in Eugene, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Colorado Springs, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Eugene, OR ($109,246 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Colorado Springs, CO | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,855 in Eugene | $99,152 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
66 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Colorado Springs, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Eugene, OR | Real change, Colorado Springs → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $64,260 | $63,715 (+4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $121,050 | $120,024 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $79,930 | $79,252 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $113,720 | $112,756 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.