City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 12.0% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $112,000 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Tallahassee, FL ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,275 in Tallahassee | $112,014 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
32 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Boulder → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $154,990 | $75,090 | $84,111 (−45.7%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $121,800 | $136,432 (−17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $61,840 | $69,269 (−30.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $79,430 | $88,972 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.