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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And for many people, pueblo (index 94, rent $1,316/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 11 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (and that gap widens …
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And for many people, pueblo (index 94, rent $1,316/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 11 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
What does daily life actually cost in Pueblo? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 85) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,305 and homes at $283,780 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
The healthcare sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. A score of 113 (the top-10 average here) means healthcare costs are about -13% below the national median. Pueblo leads at 97, followed by Greeley (105) and Colorado Springs (110). Note: a low healthcare index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: Here's the state-level backdrop: Colorado averages a 111 cost index, $1,765/mo — a detail that tends to get overlooked — rent, and $90,112 income across 11 cities. That's $130 less than the national rent average. Outdoor lifestyle with a rising price tag — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
Bottom line: Pueblo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Pueblo — cost index 94, rent $1,316/mo, income $55,305
4 of 11 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
111,077 residents · Colorado
Straight up: Here's Pueblo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 94. Rent: $1,316/month. Income: $55,305/year. Home price: $283,780. Population: 111,077. The strongest category is Housing at 85; the most expensive is Healthcare at 97. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,948 per year vs. the national median. This combination is rare — and valuable.
112,609 residents · Colorado
What does daily life actually cost in Greeley? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 94) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 106) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $68,650 — whether that matters depends on your situation — and homes at $418,757 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
488,664 residents · Colorado
Colorado Springs earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. You get the picture. The 107 cost index sits 5 points below the national baseline, and the $83,198 — we had to double-check this one — median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $446,132 — $21,238 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 98, while Housing trails at 118.
177,563 residents · Colorado
Aurora earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 108 cost index sits 4 points below the national baseline, and the $84,320 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $458,953 — $8,417 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 99, while Housing trails at 120.
144,922 residents · Colorado
Real talk: So, Thornton. Cost index of 113, rent at $1,888/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $100,985, which is above average. That tracks (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
| Rank | City | Healthcare Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | 97 | 94 | $1,316 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | 105 | 102 | $1,442 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | 110 | 107 | $1,667 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | 111 | 108 | $1,689 | Details |
| 5 | Thornton | 116 | 113 | $1,888 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | 116 | 112 | $1,788 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | 117 | 113 | $1,818 | Details |
| 8 | Lakewood | 117 | 114 | $1,733 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | 120 | 117 | $1,970 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | 124 | 121 | $2,053 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | 126 | 122 | $2,056 | Details |
Cities are ranked by their healthcare cost sub-index within Colorado. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Pueblo ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 94 and median income of $55,305.
Pueblo, CO has the lowest healthcare index at 97, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Pueblo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,316/mo, while Centennial (ranked #11) has a cost index of 122 and rent of $2,056/mo — a 28-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Pueblo is $1,316/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $579 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Pueblo is $283,780, which is 5.1× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Colorado has a 4.4% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.81%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.49%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.