City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 9.8% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $109,800 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 $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Buffalo, NY ($118,675 → $111,301), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,105 in Buffalo | $109,764 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
99 Strong offer
Buffalo, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Boulder → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,543 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,091 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,598 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,301 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,525 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $76,490 | $83,958 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $127,850 | $140,333 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,120 | $90,138 (−9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $99,060 | $108,732 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.