City comparison
Denver, CO vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 4.9% higher than in Denver, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Denver, CO would need about $104,900 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,754 in Denver, CO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 28% in Denver, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,378 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.4% moving from Denver, CO to Urban Honolulu, HI ($118,675 → $111,119), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,896 in Urban Honolulu | $95,333 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,378/yr.
42 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Denver, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$2,378/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Denver → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,438 | −10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,964 | −10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,445 | −10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,119 | −10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,310 | −10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $73,080 | $69,669 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $120,230 | $114,618 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $74,990 | $71,490 (−28.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $139,260 | $132,760 (+31.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.