City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Salt Lake City, UT
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 Salt Lake City, UT (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO goes as far as $100,200 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,534 in UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Salt Lake City, UT ($109,246 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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 | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,160 in Salt Lake City | $99,840 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$158/yr.
68 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Colorado Springs, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$158/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Colorado Springs → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $61,722 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $74,678 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $89,508 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $106,437 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $125,776 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $77,920 | $77,796 (+27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $129,600 | $129,393 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $82,100 | $81,969 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $85,890 | $85,753 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.