City comparison
Columbus, 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 10.8% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $110,800 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.9% moving from Columbus, OH to Denver, CO ($111,065 → $118,675), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,802 in Denver | $90,251 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
34 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Denver, CO | Real change, Columbus → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,819 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $83,265 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $99,800 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $118,675 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $140,239 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $76,910 | $69,412 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $137,610 | $124,194 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $100,020 | $90,269 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $101,130 | $91,271 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.