City comparison
Denver, CO vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 5.1% higher than in Denver, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Denver, CO would need about $105,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,754 in Denver, CO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 28% in Denver, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Denver, CO to Seattle, WA ($118,675 → $119,630), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,059 in Seattle | $95,185 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
42 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Denver, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
80 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Seattle, WA | Real change, Denver → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,373 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,935 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,602 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $119,630 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,367 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,670 | $161,780 | $153,990 (+12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $167,280 | $159,226 (+15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $99,370 | $94,585 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $128,260 | $122,084 (+20.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.