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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. Pueblo (index 77, 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.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | $1,316 | 77 | Details |
| 2 | Greeley | $1,442 | 84 | Details |
| 3 | Colorado Springs | $1,667 | 97 | Details |
| 4 | Aurora | $1,689 | 99 | Details |
| 5 | Lakewood | $1,733 | 101 | Details |
| 6 | Westminster | $1,788 | 104 | Details |
| 7 | Denver | $1,818 | 106 | Details |
| 8 | Thornton | $1,888 | 110 | Details |
| 9 | Fort Collins | $1,970 | 115 | Details |
| 10 | Arvada | $2,053 | 120 | Details |
| 11 | Centennial | $2,056 | 120 | Details |
#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
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Colorado — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Pueblo (index 77, 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.
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 and homes at $283,780 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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.
111,077 residents · Colorado
The #1 spot goes to Pueblo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,316/month — saving renters $6,948 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 77, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 29% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
112,609 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Greeley: the cost index of 84 breaks down to a Housing index of 84 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,442/month — 24% below the national median — while household income sits at $68,650, meaning locals spend about 25% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
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. That's not a marginal difference — it reshapes your monthly budget.
177,563 residents · Colorado
A closer look at Aurora: the cost index of 99 breaks down to a Housing index of 99 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,689/month — 11% below the national median — while household income sits at $84,320, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard. Quietly competitive.
155,961 residents · Colorado
Look, 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). And more often than not, 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.
Pueblo ranks #1 in Colorado for this analysis with a cost index of 77 and median income of $55,305.
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.