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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: Colorado isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Pueblo proves it with a cost index of 77, the lowest in Colorado, and we've ranked all 11 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape (not…
Let's be honest: Colorado isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Pueblo proves it with a cost index of 77, the lowest in Colorado, and we've ranked all 11 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
A closer look at Pueblo: the cost index of 77 breaks down to a Housing index of 77 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). Median rent is $1,316/month — 31% below the national median — while household income sits at $55,305, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
The transportation sub-index is derived from overall cost of living with regional BLS price adjustments. And as a general rule, a score of 100 (the top-10 average here) means transportation costs are about 0% below the national median. Pueblo leads at 94, followed by Greeley (96) and Colorado Springs (99). Note: a low transportation index doesn't guarantee a low overall cost — check the full cost breakdown table below.
What the national average hides could fill a book. Here's the chapter that matters: 43-point cost gap between #1 and #11. Pueblo (index 77) and Centennial (index 120) sit 43 points apart on the cost index — proof that Colorado is far from monolithic in affordability.
What's equally notable: Colorado — outdoor lifestyle with a rising price tag. Moving on. The 11 cities we track here average a cost index of 103 and median income of $90,112. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,765/month, which is $130 less than the national median.
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 77, rent $1,316/mo, income $55,305
43-point cost gap between #1 and #11
8 of 11 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
111,077 residents · Colorado
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 77) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $55,305 — we had to double-check this one — and homes at $283,780 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
112,609 residents · Colorado
Dive into Greeley's numbers: cost index 84 (27 points below national average), rent $1,442/month, income $68,650, and a home price of $418,757. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 84, while Healthcare runs 97. With 112,609 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
488,664 residents · Colorado
Here's Colorado Springs by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,667/month. Income: $83,198/year. Home price: $446,132. Population: 488,664. The strongest category is Housing at 97; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,736 per year vs. the national median. In a market where everything is going up, this stands still — in a good way (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
177,563 residents · Colorado
The #4 spot goes to Aurora, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,689/month — saving renters $2,472 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
155,961 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Lakewood: the cost index of 101 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 101 (weakest). Median rent is $1,733/month — 9% below the national median — while household income sits at $85,789, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (your mileage may vary — literally).
| Rank | City | Transportation Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | 94 | 77 | $1,316 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | 96 | 84 | $1,442 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | 99 | 97 | $1,667 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | 100 | 99 | $1,689 | Details |
| 5 | Lakewood | 100 | 101 | $1,733 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | 101 | 104 | $1,788 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | 102 | 106 | $1,818 | Details |
| 8 | Thornton | 103 | 110 | $1,888 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | 104 | 115 | $1,970 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | 105 | 120 | $2,053 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | 105 | 120 | $2,056 | Details |
Cities are ranked by their transportation 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 77 and median income of $55,305.
Pueblo, CO has the lowest transportation index at 94, 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 77 and rent of $1,316/mo, while Centennial (ranked #11) has a cost index of 120 and rent of $2,056/mo — a 43-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.