City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 14.5% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $114,500 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 $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Augusta, GA to Boulder, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,471 in Boulder | $87,359 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
32 Weak offer
Boulder, CO → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Augusta, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Boulder, CO | Real change, Augusta → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $80,640 | $70,446 (+11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $164,560 | $143,757 (+20.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $99,990 | $87,350 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $103,290 | $90,233 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.