Overall
Colorado feels cheaper overall
Colorado has the lower cost-of-living index, beating California by 28.3 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
California vs Colorado: Cost of Living
Colorado is cheaper overall by 28.3 cost-of-living points, but Colorado has lower median home values.
California
CA • West
138.5
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
110.2
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
California
138.5
Colorado
110.2
Difference: 28.3 points — Colorado leads.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for cost of living.
California
#48 · 138.5
Colorado
#36 · 110.2
Best
Worst
10 Best States — Cost of Living
Lower is better
#1
West Virginia
83.6
West Virginia
#2
Mississippi
85.5
Mississippi
#3
Arkansas
87.6
Arkansas
#4
Kentucky
88.0
Kentucky
#5
Alabama
88.6
Alabama
#6
Oklahoma
88.6
Oklahoma
#7
Missouri
90.0
Missouri
#8
Kansas
90.2
Kansas
#9
Iowa
91.0
Iowa
#10
Ohio
91.0
Ohio
Selected states
#48
California
138.5
California
#36
Colorado
110.2
Colorado
California ranks 48th and Colorado ranks 36th nationally for cost of living.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.4x more for a home
Colorado has the lower median home value, while buying in California costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Colorado puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Colorado than in California, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Colorado keeps more income after state tax
Colorado has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
California
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
138.5
Regional price parity
113.4
Regular gas price
$5.929/gal
Electricity price
30.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,856/mo
Median home value
$693,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
13.30%
State sales tax
7.25%
Property tax
0.70%
Income
Median household income
$84,097
Income after median rent
$5,152
Minimum wage
$16.50/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Colorado
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
110.2
Regional price parity
102.5
Regular gas price
$3.816/gal
Electricity price
16.44 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,651/mo
Median home value
$493,100
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
4.40%
State sales tax
2.90%
Property tax
0.48%
Income
Median household income
$87,598
Income after median rent
$5,649
Minimum wage
$14.81/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Colorado has lower median home values.
- Colorado has the lower overall cost index.
- Colorado has the higher median household income.
- Colorado looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
California vs Colorado: Cost of Living in context
Colorado has a cost of living of 110.2, compared with 138.5 in California. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
California
138.5
Colorado
110.2
Difference
28.3 points
People Also Ask
California vs Colorado Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is California's cost of living?
California's cost of living is 138.5.
Q What is Colorado's cost of living?
Colorado's cost of living is 110.2.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — California or Colorado?
Colorado is cheaper overall by 28.3 cost-of-living points, but Colorado has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: California vs Colorado
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.