Denver, CO Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Denver, CO Summary

Cost of living in Denver research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Denver is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Colorado, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Denver is 116, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Denver is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Denver ranks as the #67 cheapest in Colorado out of 111.

  • Denver ranks as the #4,558 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Denver is $459,100.

  • The median income in Denver is $78,177.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
116
Denver's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Denver, CO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Denver has an overall cost of living index of 116, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Colorado, Denver has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Colorado's index of 104.

The standard of living in Denver ranks as #67 most affordable out of the 111 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Denver ranks as the #44 most expensive place in the Centennial State.

For more reading on life in Denver, check out:

67 out of 111
In Colorado
4,558 out of 6,412
In America

Denver Cost Of Living Vs. Colorado

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Denver. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Denver is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Denver is 93.

  • The Health index in Denver is 99.

  • The Housing index in Denver is 142.

  • The Transportation index in Denver is 115.

  • The Utilities index in Denver is 80.

Living Expense Denver Colorado National Average
Overall 116 104 100
Services 114 102 100
Groceries 93 99 100
Health 99 100 100
Housing 142 116 100
Transportation 115 104 100
Utilities 80 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Colorado, check out:
Denver Cost of Living Vs. CO

Denver, CO Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Colorado, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Denver is $459,100.

  • The Median Rent in Denver is $1,495.

  • The Median Income in Denver is $78,177.

  • The Home Value To Income in Denver is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Denver is 0.23x.

Statistic Denver Colorado United States
Median Home Value $459,100 $397,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,495 $1,437 $1,163
Median Income $78,177 $80,184 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.9x 5.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.22x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Denver, CO
$459,100
Median Home Value
$1,495
Median Rent
$78,177
Median Income

Denver, CO Costs By Category

Detailed Denver Services Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Denver Colorado
Shampoo $0.98 $1.06
Movie $12.9 $10.68
Bowling $19.78 $14.67
Haircut $21.67 $18.62
Beauty Salon $44.29 $39.05

Detailed Denver Groceries Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Denver Colorado
Ground Beef $4.11 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.48 $1.39
Milk $1.76 $2.05
Potatoes $3.05 $3.29
Pizza $12.49 $10.62
Beer $8.98 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.89 $2.34

Detailed Denver Health Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Denver Colorado
Optometrist $104.86 $108.57
Doctor $111.77 $116.17
Dentist $105.51 $99.13

Detailed Denver Transportation Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Denver Colorado
Gasoline $2.49 $2.22
Tire Balancing $57.16 $50.07

Detailed Denver Utilities Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Denver Colorado
All Electricity $105.51 $167.67
Phone $186.48 $175.64

Denver SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Denver

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Denver. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Aurora, CO has a cost of living index of 108, 0.9x Denver.

  • Brighton, CO has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Denver.

  • Englewood, CO has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Denver.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Denver
Aurora, CO 383,496 108 0.9x
Brighton, CO 39,895 103 0.9x
Englewood, CO 33,500 111 1.0x
Sherrelwood, CO 20,069 98 0.8x
Welby, CO 16,260 97 0.8x
Federal Heights, CO 14,111 80 0.7x
Berkley, CO 10,920 99 0.9x
Derby, CO 8,995 93 0.8x
Commerce, GA 7,213 83 0.7x
Sheridan, CO 6,090 102 0.9x

Articles About Colorado

Enjoy The Snack?