Cost of Living in Denver, Colorado
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Denver, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 740,613
- Median household income
- $92,504
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 105.8
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Is Denver a good place to live?
Denver is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 126 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Denver keeps $9,146 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living6% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,923 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,034 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $69 of local income tax
Cost of living in Denver
Prices in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO area run 6% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 47% above the US average.
- Housing47% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)1% above the US average
- Utilities12% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items6% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,923 | $23,076 |
| Food | $498 | $5,976 |
| Transportation | $394 | $4,728 |
| Healthcare | $350 | $4,200 |
| Utilities | $229 | $2,748 |
| Total before taxes | $3,394 | $40,728 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Denver | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,837 | $1,751 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,923 | $1,831 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,282 | $2,169 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,992 | $2,846 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,346 | $3,183 |
Living in Denver
How Denver compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Denver | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $92,504 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $636,400 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,870 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 51.9% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 12.1% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 58.6% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 35.6 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 24.9 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 24.8% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 3.5% | 3.7% |
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Denver, led by Xfinity, Quantum Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon. Fiber reaches 64.3% of homes and 93.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Denver
Pros and cons of living in Denver
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $9,146 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 126 of 178 large cities.
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 24.9 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Highly educated workforce. 58.6% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 36.9% nationally.
- Remote-work friendly. 24.8% of workers work from home, against 13.3% nationally.
Cons
- Expensive rent. Median rent is $1,870 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Local income tax. Residents also pay Denver Occupational Privilege Tax ($5.75 a month) income tax: $69 on a typical wage.
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $636,400, against $360,600 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 6% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in Denver
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
- $62,320
- Federal income tax
- −$5,298
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,042
- State income tax
- −$2,034
- Local income tax
- −$69
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$23,076
- Everyday costs
- −$17,655
a year, or $762 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Denver-Aurora-Centennial, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $177,380 | $83,829 |
| Software engineer | $137,610 | $58,571 |
| Project manager | $116,740 | $45,215 |
| Civil engineer | $104,710 | $37,334 |
| Registered nurse | $101,130 | $34,989 |
| Accountant | $100,020 | $34,262 |
| Teacher | $77,772 | $19,686 |
| Truck driver | $63,900 | $10,339 |
| Electrician | $63,150 | $9,773 |
| Nursing assistant | $49,110 | −$828 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Denver on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $8,874
- Carpenter $11,102
- Data scientist $42,451
- Dental assistant −$542
- Dental hygienist $43,263
- Dentist $78,265
- Diesel mechanic $16,429
- Financial analyst $37,183
- Firefighter $26,373
- HVAC technician $15,630
- Licensed practical nurse $18,402
- Lineman $28,411
- Mechanical engineer $52,581
- Medical assistant −$383
- Nurse practitioner $56,303
- Occupational therapist $39,161
- Paralegal $21,474
- Paramedic $11,237
- Pharmacist $71,450
- Pharmacy technician $577
- Physical therapist $35,781
- Physician assistant $56,621
- Plumber $10,339
- Police officer $35,540
- Radiologic technologist $32,938
- Respiratory therapist $24,992
- Social worker $12,437
- Speech-language pathologist $42,168
- Veterinarian $56,969
- Welder $6,556
Local income tax: Owed in months with at least $500 of Denver earnings; modelled as $69 a year for wages of $6,000 or more.
Compare Denver with other cities
Compare Denver with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Denver
34 licensed interstate movers are based in Denver, and 44 more elsewhere in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Denver, CO a good place to live?
Denver is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 126 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $62,320 and keeps $9,146 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Denver?
Prices in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO area are 6% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,923 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,471 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Denver?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $50,300 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO area earns $62,320.
What is the average rent in Denver?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,837 for a studio, $1,923 for a 1-bedroom and $2,282 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Denver at $1,870 a month (2024).
Does Denver have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $62,320, Colorado state income tax comes to about $2,034 a year. Denver residents also pay Denver Occupational Privilege Tax ($5.75 a month) income tax, about $69 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Denver?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Denver, led by Xfinity, Quantum Fiber, T-Mobile, Verizon. 64.3% of homes can get fiber and 93.7% 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