City comparison
Denver, CO vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 11.7% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $111,700 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.3% moving from Denver, CO to Pittsburgh, PA ($118,675 → $110,047), while prices change by −10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,496 in Pittsburgh | $111,736 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Denver → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,815 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,211 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $92,543 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $110,047 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $130,042 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $76,550 | $85,534 (+11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $124,500 | $139,112 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $76,940 | $85,970 (−14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $82,370 | $92,037 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.