Salary comparison
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop: Boulder vs Portland
Boulder, CO pays about 3.0% more for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop on paper — $38,220 vs $37,100. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Boulder comes out ahead by $1,120 a year in real buying power.
Boulder, CO
$38,220
$35,830
$48,370
$18.38
100
$38,220/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Portland, ME
$37,100
$36,320
$46,590
$17.84
100
$37,100/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $1,120 a year (3.0%) in favor of Boulder. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Boulder runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Portland sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Boulder is the better deal by $1,120 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Portland to Boulder for this role, the raise needs to beat 3.0% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop earn more, Boulder or Portland?
Boulder pays $38,220 on median — about 3.0% more than Portland ($37,100). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Boulder. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Boulder gives you roughly$38,220 of real buying power versus $37,100 in the other city.