City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 6.7% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $106,700 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 $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Boulder, CO to Houston, TX ($118,675 → $122,749), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,752 in Houston | $106,664 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
90 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Houston, TX | Real change, Boulder → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $71,181 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $86,123 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $103,225 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $122,749 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $145,052 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $64,500 | $68,799 (−14.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $129,440 | $138,066 (−16.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $85,090 | $90,761 (−9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $99,830 | $106,483 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.