City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.3% higher than in Salt Lake City, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT would need about $104,300 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 $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,534 in UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Salt Lake City, UT ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,880 in Salt Lake City | $104,297 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$158/yr.
82 Strong offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$158/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Boulder → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $77,920 | $81,268 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $129,600 | $135,169 (−17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,100 | $85,628 (−14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $85,890 | $89,580 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.