Denver vs Colorado Springs
Denver, CO · Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs is 15% cheaper than Denver overall.
Home Price
Denver: $565,000
Colorado: $420,000
Monthly Rent
Denver: $1,395/mo
Colorado: $995/mo
COL Index
Denver: 121
Colorado: 103
Median Income
Denver: $85,200
Colorado: $71,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Denver has the same purchasing power as $85,124 in Colorado Springs — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Colorado Springs cost 26% more (-$145,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Colorado Springs saves you $400/month — $4,800 per year. Median rent: $1,395/mo in Denver vs $995/mo in Colorado Springs.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Denver owners pay roughly $3,108/year in property taxes vs $2,310/year in Colorado Springs. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $85,200 in Denver and $71,200 in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs residents earn 16% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 26 minutes in Denver vs 24 minutes in Colorado Springs. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Denver to Colorado Springs, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Denver | Equivalent in Colorado Springs | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,562 | -$7,438 |
| $75,000 | $63,843 | -$11,157 |
| $100,000 | $85,124 | -$14,876 |
| $150,000 | $127,686 | -$22,314 |
| $200,000 | $170,248 | -$29,752 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Denver vs Colorado Springs: Common Questions
Is Denver or Colorado Springs cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Colorado Springs is cheaper overall. Denver has a COL index of 121 while Colorado Springs scores 103 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Denver and Colorado Springs?
The median home price in Denver is $565,000 vs $420,000 in Colorado Springs — a difference of $145,000 (26%).
What salary do I need in Colorado Springs to match my Denver income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Denver is equivalent to $85,124 in Colorado Springs in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Colorado Springs has a lower property tax rate (0.55% vs 0.55%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,310/year vs $3,108/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.