Salary Comparison
Helpersinstallation: Raleigh vs Boulder
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Raleigh, NC
$38,260/yr
Boulder, CO
$47,879/yr
Our recommendation: Raleigh, NC
Raleigh offers $256 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Raleigh
Boulder
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$38,260
$47,879
$9,619
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,328
$2,913
$585
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
95
127
-32 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,562
$3,403
$841
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,480
$2,150
$670
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$-234
$-490
+$256
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
0.91×
0.86×
+0.05×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
3/10 (Tight)
2/10 (Tight)
+1
A vs B
Raleigh — Full Details
Boulder — 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.