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Cost of Living · Colorado

Colorado Springs Cost of Living

Colorado Springs, Colorado costs approximately 1.0% below the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

0.99×
cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)
Colorado Springs ranks 3 of 3 cities in Colorado by cost of living.
Cities MORE expensive than Colorado Springs (51)
San Francisco, CA
+46.5% more expensive
Oakland, CA
+36.4% more expensive
New York City, NY
+33.3% more expensive
Honolulu, HI
+31.3% more expensive
Irvine, CA
+31.3% more expensive
Los Angeles, CA
+23.2% more expensive
Boston, MA
+23.2% more expensive
San Diego, CA
+22.2% more expensive
Yonkers, NY
+21.2% more expensive
Anchorage, AK
+21.2% more expensive
Seattle, WA
+19.2% more expensive
Long Beach, CA
+19.2% more expensive
Anaheim, CA
+19.2% more expensive
Scottsdale, AZ
+19.2% more expensive
Chula Vista, CA
+16.2% more expensive
Miami, FL
+13.1% more expensive
Portland, OR
+11.1% more expensive
Newark, NJ
+11.1% more expensive
Sacramento, CA
+11.1% more expensive
Riverside, CA
+11.1% more expensive
Denver, CO
+9.1% more expensive
Chicago, IL
+6.1% more expensive
Austin, TX
+6.1% more expensive
Baltimore, MD
+6.1% more expensive
Stockton, CA
+6.1% more expensive
Aurora, CO
+6.1% more expensive
Hialeah, FL
+6.1% more expensive
Frisco, TX
+6.1% more expensive
Las Vegas, NV
+5.1% more expensive
Minneapolis, MN
+5.1% more expensive
Plano, TX
+5.1% more expensive
Chandler, AZ
+5.1% more expensive
Phoenix, AZ
+3.0% more expensive
Philadelphia, PA
+3.0% more expensive
Atlanta, GA
+3.0% more expensive
Tampa, FL
+3.0% more expensive
Henderson, NV
+3.0% more expensive
Reno, NV
+3.0% more expensive
Gilbert, AZ
+3.0% more expensive
Charleston, SC
+3.0% more expensive
Salt Lake City, UT
+3.0% more expensive
Orlando, FL
+2.0% more expensive
Wilmington, DE
+1.0% more expensive
Raleigh, NC
+1.0% more expensive
Virginia Beach, VA
+1.0% more expensive
St. Paul, MN
+1.0% more expensive
Chesapeake, VA
+1.0% more expensive
North Las Vegas, NV
+1.0% more expensive
Boise, ID
+1.0% more expensive
Fresno, CA
+1.0% more expensive
Worcester, MA
+1.0% more expensive
Cities CHEAPER than Colorado Springs (43)
Norfolk, VA
−1.0% cheaper
Jacksonville, FL
−2.0% cheaper
Charlotte, NC
−2.0% cheaper
Mesa, AZ
−2.0% cheaper
Houston, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Fort Worth, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Tucson, AZ
−3.0% cheaper
Glendale, AZ
−3.0% cheaper
Garland, TX
−3.0% cheaper
Spokane, WA
−3.0% cheaper
Pittsburgh, PA
−4.0% cheaper
Arlington, TX
−4.0% cheaper
Tallahassee, FL
−4.0% cheaper
Milwaukee, WI
−5.1% cheaper
Albuquerque, NM
−5.1% cheaper
New Orleans, LA
−5.1% cheaper
San Antonio, TX
−6.1% cheaper
Grand Rapids, MI
−6.1% cheaper
Columbus, OH
−7.1% cheaper
Detroit, MI
−7.1% cheaper
Cincinnati, OH
−7.1% cheaper
Kansas City, MO
−7.1% cheaper
Lexington, KY
−7.1% cheaper
Corpus Christi, TX
−7.1% cheaper
Buffalo, NY
−7.1% cheaper
Greensboro, NC
−7.1% cheaper
Knoxville, TN
−7.1% cheaper
El Paso, TX
−8.1% cheaper
Cleveland, OH
−8.1% cheaper
St. Louis, MO
−8.1% cheaper
Winston-Salem, NC
−8.1% cheaper
Indianapolis, IN
−9.1% cheaper
Louisville, KY
−9.1% cheaper
Omaha, NE
−9.1% cheaper
Memphis, TN
−10.1% cheaper
Oklahoma City, OK
−10.1% cheaper
Lincoln, NE
−10.1% cheaper
Birmingham, AL
−11.1% cheaper
Toledo, OH
−11.1% cheaper
Lubbock, TX
−11.1% cheaper
Wichita, KS
−13.1% cheaper
Fort Wayne, IN
−13.1% cheaper
Mobile, AL
−13.1% cheaper

What living in Colorado Springs costs

Colorado Springs carries a cost index of 0.99x the national baseline, placing it above 43 of the 99 metros tracked and below 51. Rent runs about $1,350 monthly; the median home is near $450,000.

The price-to-rent ratio here is roughly 28, which is high. Above about 20, renting and investing the down payment usually beats buying over a normal holding period — the purchase price is steep relative to what the same property earns as a rental.

Working and living here

Colorado Springs is a metro of roughly 0.8M and growing steadily, running on defense/aerospace, tourism, healthcare. Larger employers include U.S. Air Force Academy, Peterson Space Force Base, UCHealth Memorial Hospital.

Colorado taxes income at the state level, and Colorado Springs adds no separate city tax. Cost-of-living indexes exclude income tax entirely, so compare after-tax figures rather than index ratios when weighing this metro against one in a no-income-tax state.

Getting around: Colorado Springs is effectively car-dependent. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: Semi-arid at high altitude (6,035 ft): January highs near 43°F/lows 18°F, July highs near 85°F/lows 57°F, low humidity, frequent sun.

Home to five major military installations, giving it one of the highest concentrations of active-duty and defense-contractor employment per capita of any US metro.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colorado Springs expensive to live in?▾
Relative to the US average, roughly average — the cost index is 0.99x, above 43 and below 51 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $1,350 a month and the median home $450,000.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Colorado Springs?▾
A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $1,350 a month implies about $54,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.