City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 4.7% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $104,700 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Colorado Springs, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,229 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Colorado Springs, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.0% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Portland, OR ($109,246 → $114,684), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Colorado Springs, CO | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,681 in Portland | $95,528 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,229/yr.
50 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,229/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Portland, OR | Real change, Colorado Springs → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $66,505 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $80,465 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $96,443 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $114,684 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $135,522 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $82,330 | $78,649 (+28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $156,000 | $149,024 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $92,200 | $88,077 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $130,310 | $124,483 (+29.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.