City comparison
Boulder, CO vs New Orleans, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 13.6% higher than in New Orleans, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in New Orleans, LA would need about $113,600 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 $1,113 in New Orleans, LA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 17% in New Orleans, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,078 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in New Orleans, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to New Orleans, LA ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | New Orleans, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,018 in New Orleans | $113,613 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → New Orleans, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,078/yr.
100 Strong offer
New Orleans, LA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$1,078/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; New Orleans, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | New Orleans, LA | Real change, Boulder → New Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | New Orleans, LA | New Orleans pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $60,350 | $68,565 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $106,950 | $121,509 (−26.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,940 | $88,550 (−11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $81,850 | $92,992 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.