City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 12.6% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $112,600 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Cleveland, OH to Denver, CO ($111,138 → $118,675), while prices change by +12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,626 in Denver | $88,789 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
33 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Denver, CO | Real change, Cleveland → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $68,819 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $83,265 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $99,800 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $118,675 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $140,239 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $76,910 | $68,288 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $137,610 | $122,183 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $100,020 | $88,807 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $101,130 | $89,793 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.