City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Kiryas Joel, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 4.0% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $104,000 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,549 in Kiryas Joel, NY. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Kiryas Joel, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,168 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Boulder, CO to Kiryas Joel, NY ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Kiryas Joel, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 109.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,011 in Kiryas Joel | $96,143 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,549/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% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $50,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 115.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 136.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 106.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 109.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,168/yr.
57 Fair offer
Kiryas Joel, NY → Boulder, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,168/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Kiryas Joel, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Kiryas Joel, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Kiryas Joel, NY | Real change, Boulder → Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Kiryas Joel, NY | Kiryas Joel pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $81,770 | $78,616 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $145,830 | $140,206 (−14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $88,900 | $85,471 (−14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $102,890 | $98,922 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.