Seattle vs Denver
Seattle, WA · Denver, CO
Denver is 22% cheaper than Seattle overall.
Home Price
Seattle: $780,000
Denver: $565,000
Monthly Rent
Seattle: $1,800/mo
Denver: $1,395/mo
COL Index
Seattle: 156
Denver: 121
Median Income
Seattle: $102,900
Denver: $85,200
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 Seattle has the same purchasing power as $77,564 in Denver — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Denver cost 28% more (-$215,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Denver saves you $405/month — $4,860 per year. Median rent: $1,800/mo in Seattle vs $1,395/mo in Denver.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Seattle owners pay roughly $7,176/year in property taxes vs $3,108/year in Denver. That's a $4,069 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $102,900 in Seattle and $85,200 in Denver. Denver residents earn 17% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 30 minutes in Seattle vs 26 minutes in Denver. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Seattle to Denver, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Seattle | Equivalent in Denver | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $38,782 | -$11,218 |
| $75,000 | $58,173 | -$16,827 |
| $100,000 | $77,564 | -$22,436 |
| $150,000 | $116,346 | -$33,654 |
| $200,000 | $155,128 | -$44,872 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Seattle Calculators
Denver Calculators
Related Comparisons
Seattle vs Denver: Common Questions
Is Seattle or Denver cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Denver is cheaper overall. Seattle has a COL index of 156 while Denver scores 121 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Seattle and Denver?
The median home price in Seattle is $780,000 vs $565,000 in Denver — a difference of $215,000 (28%).
What salary do I need in Denver to match my Seattle income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Seattle is equivalent to $77,564 in Denver in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Denver has a lower property tax rate (0.55% vs 0.92%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,108/year vs $7,176/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.