City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 7.5% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $107,500 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 $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,244 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Richmond, VA ($118,675 → $111,183), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,019 in Richmond | $107,505 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,244/yr.
92 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,244/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Richmond, VA | Real change, Boulder → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,475 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,009 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,499 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,183 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,385 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,290 | $65,890 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $132,120 | $142,035 (−13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $84,220 | $90,541 (−9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $93,580 | $100,603 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.