City comparison
Denver, CO vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 8.4% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $108,400 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 $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Durham, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Denver, CO to Durham, NC ($118,675 → $111,147), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,239 in Durham | $108,414 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
95 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
40 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Durham, NC | Real change, Denver → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,453 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,983 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,468 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,147 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,342 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,670 | $129,670 | $140,581 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $135,620 | $147,031 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $85,090 | $92,250 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.