City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 15.1% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $115,100 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 $1,114 in Augusta, GA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 18% in Augusta, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Augusta, GA to Denver, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,102 in Denver | $86,880 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,754/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Augusta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; 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; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Denver, CO | Real change, Augusta → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $76,910 | $66,819 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $137,610 | $119,555 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $100,020 | $86,897 (+13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $101,130 | $87,861 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.