Cost of living in Denver: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Denver is 5.8% above the US average. For the Denver, CO metro area, the 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) came to 105.8, the US is 100, and housing alone reached 146.9.
- Level of prices
- 105.8US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 146.9 for rents, against US = 100.
Cost of living index for Denver
The US average is set at 100. A regional price parity then compares what one basket of goods and services costs in a single place with that average. BEA prices the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area as a whole, and Denver sits inside it. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 146.9, or 46.9% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Denver, CO metro | Colorado | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 105.8 | 103.1 | +5.8% |
| Goods | 101.0 | 98.7 | +1.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 146.9 | 127.4 | +46.9% |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 85.0 | −12.1% |
| Other services | 99.4 | 99.6 | −0.6% |
Regional price parities for 2024 cover each metro area and state and come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (U.S.). BEA regional price parities
Denver rents
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Denver at $1,855 a month. It covers homes listed now, and it is +0.1% on a year. That asking rent is $1,932 in the US. Census puts median gross rent at $1,870, counting every renting household rather than only new leases. Paying the asking rent for a year takes 24% of the median household income.
| Rent | Denver | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,855 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +0.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,870 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income, one year of asking rent | 24% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Denver home prices
A typical Denver home was worth $520,947 in September 2026, according to the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI). That index tracks the value of a typical home at the market midpoint. That is 1.9% lower on a year, while the US figure is $366,157. Paying for a home in Denver takes 5.6 years of median household income; in the US the figure is 4.5.
| Home prices | Denver | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $520,947 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −1.9% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +44.4% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 23.4 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Denver housing market.
The salary you need to live in Denver
Where you live and what you earn decide the Denver salary that matches what your pay buys right now.
- Moving from
- Salary
Side-by-side figures for every city, plus the method: comparison of living costs by city.
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Denver cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 105.8 | 146.9 | $1,855 | $520,947 |
| Colorado Springs | 100.7 | 116.2 | $1,717 | $439,542 |
| Boulder | 105.2 | 157.0 | $2,435 | $937,901 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels, from 2024 BEA regional price parities: US = 100. Rent figures come from Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities, ranked: cost of living by city. All states: cost of living by state.