City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.3% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $104,300 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $308 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Boulder, CO ($117,402 → $118,675), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,284 in Boulder | $95,892 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$308/yr.
51 Fair offer
Boulder, CO → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$308/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Boulder, CO | Real change, Ann Arbor → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $68,819 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $83,265 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $99,800 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $118,675 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $140,239 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $80,640 | $77,327 (+20.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $164,560 | $157,799 (+24.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $99,990 | $95,882 (+19.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $103,290 | $99,047 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.