Salary Comparison
Actuaries: Boulder vs Austin
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Boulder, CO
$146,418/yr
Austin, TX
$88,500/yr
Our recommendation: Boulder, CO
Boulder offers $2,945 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Boulder
Austin
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$146,418
$88,500
+$57,918
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$8,907
$5,384
+$3,523
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
127
105
+22 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,403
$2,825
+$578
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,150
$1,680
+$470
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$5,504
$2,559
+$2,945
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
2.62×
1.91×
+0.71×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
9/10 (Comfortable)
7/10 (Moderate)
+2
A vs B
Boulder — Full Details
Austin — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.