City comparison
Denver, CO vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 8.1% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $108,100 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 Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,244 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Denver, CO to Richmond, VA ($118,675 → $111,183), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,509 in Richmond | $108,097 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,244/yr.
94 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,244/yr.
41 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Richmond, VA | Real change, Denver → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,475 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $78,009 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,499 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,183 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,385 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,670 | $126,230 | $136,451 (−0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $132,120 | $142,818 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $84,220 | $91,040 (−9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $93,580 | $101,158 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.