City comparison
Denver, CO vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 15.1% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $115,100 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.4% moving from Denver, CO to Omaha, NE ($118,675 → $107,501), while prices change by −13.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,887 in Omaha | $115,092 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$21/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$21/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Omaha, NE | Real change, Denver → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,339 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,425 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $90,402 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $107,501 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $127,033 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $62,670 | $72,128 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $125,220 | $144,118 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $77,030 | $88,655 (−11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $84,600 | $97,368 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.