City comparison
Denver, CO vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Denver, CO (105.8) and Riverside, CA (106.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Denver, CO goes as far as $100,600 in Riverside, CA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,754 a month in Denver, CO and $1,777 in Riverside, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA ($118,675 → $124,085), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,624 in Riverside | $99,380 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Riverside, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
61 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Denver, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Riverside, CA | Real change, Denver → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $71,957 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $87,061 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $104,349 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $124,085 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $146,632 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $98,520 | $97,909 (+27.3%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $133,270 | $132,444 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $83,920 | $83,400 (−16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $133,940 | $133,109 (+31.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.