City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 5.6% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $105,600 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,795 in Boulder, CO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 29% in Boulder, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Boulder, CO to Seattle, WA ($118,675 → $119,630), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,638 in Seattle | $94,663 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
41 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Boulder, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Seattle, WA | Real change, Boulder → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,373 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,935 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,602 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $119,630 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,367 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $102,920 | $97,427 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $167,280 | $158,353 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $99,370 | $94,067 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $128,260 | $121,415 (+17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.