City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 5.0% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $105,000 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 $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 23% in Colorado Springs, CO.
- Both are in CO, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,692 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Denver, CO ($109,246 → $118,675), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- 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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,039 in Denver | $95,202 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Denver, CO | Real change, Colorado Springs → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $68,819 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $83,265 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $99,800 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $118,675 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $140,239 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $76,910 | $73,220 (+19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $137,610 | $131,008 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $100,020 | $95,221 (+12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $101,130 | $96,278 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.