City comparison
Denver, CO vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 4.1% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $104,100 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, 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 Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Eugene, OR ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,016 in Eugene | $104,149 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/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 | 28% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
82 Strong offer
Eugene, OR → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Eugene, OR | Real change, Denver → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $64,260 | $66,926 (−13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $121,050 | $126,072 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,930 | $83,246 (−16.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $113,720 | $118,438 (+17.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.