City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 18.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $118,300 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,089 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Wichita, KS ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,548 in Wichita | $118,276 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,089/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,089/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Wichita, KS | Real change, Boulder → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $58,640 | $69,357 (−14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $105,980 | $125,349 (−23.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,270 | $93,758 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $76,540 | $90,529 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.