City comparison
Denver, CO vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 12.6% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $112,600 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Tallahassee, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,785 in Tallahassee | $112,631 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Denver → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $55,020 | $61,970 (−19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $121,800 | $137,185 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $61,840 | $69,651 (−30.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $79,430 | $89,463 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.