City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 1.4% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $101,400 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO and $1,832 in Sacramento, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Sacramento, CA ($118,675 → $117,984), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,395 in Sacramento | $98,624 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Sacramento, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
57 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Boulder → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $68,419 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $82,780 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $99,218 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $117,984 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $139,422 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $103,390 | $101,967 (+26.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $139,640 | $137,718 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $92,110 | $90,842 (−9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $171,460 | $169,100 (+63.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.