City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 17.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $117,800 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Columbus, GA ($118,675 → $112,556), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,881 in Columbus | $117,813 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
32 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Columbus, GA | Real change, Boulder → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $65,271 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,972 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $94,654 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $112,556 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $133,007 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $102,240 | $120,452 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $116,150 | $136,839 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $73,640 | $86,757 (−13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $82,500 | $97,195 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.