City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.8% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $104,800 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 $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Boulder, CO to Spokane, WA ($118,675 → $106,991), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,384 in Spokane | $104,839 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,193/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
84 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Spokane, WA | Real change, Boulder → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,044 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $75,068 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,974 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,991 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $126,432 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $98,800 | $103,581 (+28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $130,690 | $137,014 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $86,350 | $90,529 (−9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $111,750 | $117,158 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.