Cost of Living in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Colorado Springs, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 494,743
- Median household income
- $83,672
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 100.7
- Unemployment rate
- 5.3%
Is Colorado Springs a good place to live?
Colorado Springs sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 112 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Colorado Springs keeps $8,513 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living1% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,431 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,611 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Colorado Springs
Prices in the Colorado Springs, CO area run 1% above the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 17% below the US average.
- Housing16% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)4% below the US average
- Utilities17% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)About the same as the US average
- All items1% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,431 | $17,172 |
| Food | $474 | $5,688 |
| Transportation | $375 | $4,500 |
| Healthcare | $351 | $4,212 |
| Utilities | $217 | $2,604 |
| Total before taxes | $2,848 | $34,176 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Colorado Springs | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,171 | $1,129 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,431 | $1,380 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,684 | $1,621 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,333 | $2,245 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,674 | $2,574 |
Living in Colorado Springs
How Colorado Springs compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Colorado Springs | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $83,672 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $479,500 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,699 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 42.8% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 8.8% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 44.4% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 36 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 23.3 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 15.2% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 0.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Colorado Springs, led by Xfinity, Kellin Communications, T-Mobile, CenturyLink. Fiber reaches 59.2% of homes and 98.5% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Colorado Springs
Pros and cons of living in Colorado Springs
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 23.3 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Fast home internet. 98.5% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
Nothing stands out against the US average in the data we track.
What your job keeps in Colorado Springs
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $52,710
- Federal income tax
- −$4,145
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,264
- State income tax
- −$1,611
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$17,172
- Everyday costs
- −$17,005
a year, or $709 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Colorado Springs, CO. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Colorado Springs, CO area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $134,280 | $63,079 |
| Project manager | $111,740 | $48,562 |
| Registered nurse | $96,140 | $38,342 |
| Accountant | $85,000 | $31,044 |
| Social worker | $63,319 | $16,523 |
| Teacher | $61,235 | $14,950 |
| Auto mechanic | $60,710 | $14,554 |
| Truck driver | $59,790 | $13,859 |
| Nursing assistant | $46,120 | $3,537 |
| Medical assistant | $45,730 | $3,241 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Colorado Springs on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $12,076
- Civil engineer $37,490
- Data scientist $58,836
- Dental assistant $5,175
- Dental hygienist $52,932
- Dentist $78,671
- Diesel mechanic $16,970
- Electrician $13,421
- Financial analyst $42,600
- Firefighter $16,366
- HVAC technician $15,120
- Lawyer $45,012
- Licensed practical nurse $20,145
- Lineman $45,366
- Mechanical engineer $47,010
- Nurse practitioner $60,329
- Occupational therapist $44,657
- Paralegal $17,664
- Paramedic $16,555
- Pharmacist $76,892
- Pharmacy technician $6,413
- Physical therapist $39,496
- Physician assistant $63,663
- Plumber $14,403
- Police officer $35,355
- Radiologic technologist $32,009
- Respiratory therapist $32,938
- Speech-language pathologist $46,203
- Veterinarian $58,322
- Welder $10,447
Compare Colorado Springs with other cities
Compare Colorado Springs with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Colorado Springs
11 licensed interstate movers are based in Colorado Springs, and 2 more elsewhere in the Colorado Springs, CO area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Colorado Springs, CO a good place to live?
Colorado Springs sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 112 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $52,710 and keeps $8,513 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Colorado Springs?
Prices in the Colorado Springs, CO area are 1% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,431 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,417 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Colorado Springs?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $41,500 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Colorado Springs, CO area earns $52,710.
What is the average rent in Colorado Springs?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,171 for a studio, $1,431 for a 1-bedroom and $1,684 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Colorado Springs at $1,699 a month (2024).
Does Colorado Springs have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $52,710, Colorado state income tax comes to about $1,611 a year. Colorado Springs has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Colorado Springs?
8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Colorado Springs, led by Xfinity, Kellin Communications, T-Mobile, CenturyLink. 59.2% of homes can get fiber and 98.5% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate