City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 3.4% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $103,400 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 $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Providence, RI ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,741 in Providence | $103,369 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
79 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Providence, RI | Real change, Boulder → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $86,720 | $89,642 (+11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $130,690 | $135,093 (−17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $95,020 | $98,221 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $99,880 | $103,245 (−0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.