City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Colorado Springs, CO (100.7) and Orlando, FL (101.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO goes as far as $100,700 in Orlando, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 23% in Colorado Springs, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.6% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Orlando, FL ($109,246 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Colorado Springs, CO | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,706 in Orlando | $99,299 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,731/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 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Orlando, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
65 Fair offer
Orlando, FL → Colorado Springs, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Orlando, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Orlando, FL | Real change, Colorado Springs → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $61,722 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $74,678 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $89,508 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $106,437 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $125,776 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $60,190 | $59,768 (−2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $129,620 | $128,711 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $78,630 | $78,079 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $83,550 | $82,964 (−13.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.