City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Colorado Springs, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.5% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $104,500 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 $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Colorado Springs, CO.
- Both are in CO, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,692 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Boulder, CO to Colorado Springs, CO ($118,675 → $109,246), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Colorado Springs, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,727 in Colorado Springs | $104,463 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,464/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $52,710 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Colorado Springs, CO |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Colorado Springs, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 116.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 83.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
83 Strong offer
Colorado Springs, CO → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Colorado Springs, CO is in Colorado Springs, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Colorado Springs, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Colorado Springs, CO | Real change, Boulder → Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,351 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,650 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,870 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $109,246 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $129,096 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Colorado Springs, CO | Colorado Springs pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,140 | $63,869 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $134,280 | $140,274 (−14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $85,000 | $88,794 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $96,140 | $100,431 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.