City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 2.2% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $102,200 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.2% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Phoenix, AZ ($118,675 → $111,338), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.2% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fort Collins, CO | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,164 in Phoenix | $97,882 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
62 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Fort Collins → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,564 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,117 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,629 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,338 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,568 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $59,180 | $57,927 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $131,750 | $128,960 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $80,820 | $79,108 (−11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $100,830 | $98,695 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.