Denver, Colorado
Living in Denver, Colorado is about 15% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 115 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,900 a month, 2% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.83 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 40% of the area's $91,681 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.83
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,900
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.50
Combo meal
Electricity
17.17¢
per kWh · ~$155/mo
Car Insurance
$223/mo
$2,680/yr
Median Household Income
$91,681
40.1% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,680 in Denver. Compare rates:
📸 Help make this data more accurate
Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Denver residents actually pay.
Save on Gas
Find the cheapest gas near Denver:
Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,900/mo in Denver. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.69 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.49 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.19 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.82 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$2.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.48 estimate
$3.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$8.35 estimate
$3.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.70 estimate
$5.29 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.93 estimate
$5.00 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$9.38 estimate
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.69 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$5.49 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.19 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.07 | $5.82 | +43.0% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$2.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.73 | $5.48 | +15.9% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.78 | $8.35 | +44.5% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$5.29 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.55 | $5.70 | +25.3% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.20 | $6.93 | +33.3% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ King Soopers - Central Park (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.71 | $9.38 | +39.8% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.50
Casual Dining
$31.60
Monthly Spend
$525.7
+3.97% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $9.38
$15.13
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $10.59
$16.34
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $11.35
$16.95
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $5.63
$7.82
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Denver?
Average 1BR: $1,558/mo · 2BR: $2,242/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
565k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,958
$102k/yr
Top Sector
Professional & Business Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$92k
household median
Employment by Sector — Denver
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$134k/yr
~$94k/yr
~$70k/yr
~$49k/yr
~$147k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 08031
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,831/wk · $147k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$936/wk · $49k/yr
Denver Cost of Living FAQ
Is Denver, CO expensive to live in?
Denver has a cost of living index of 115, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 15% more expensive than average. It is the 2nd most affordable of the 8 Colorado cities we track.
What is the average rent in Denver, CO?
Typical rent in Denver is $1,900 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 2% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,558 and two bedrooms about $2,242. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Denver?
Rent in Denver rose 0.1% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Denver?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.83 a gallon in Denver as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Colorado. That is 4% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Denver?
Homes in Colorado pay an average of 17.2 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Denver is about $155.
How much is car insurance in Denver?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,680 a year in Colorado, or about $223 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Denver?
Median household income in the Denver area is $91,681 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $36,741 a year, or 40% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Denver compare with the rest of Colorado?
Rent in Denver is 3% below the $1,960 average across the 8 Colorado cities we track, and its cost of living index of 115 compares with a state average of 113.
Newsletter
Get the Monthly Price Report
We track gas, groceries, and rent so you know what's coming before it hits your wallet. One email, once a month, no spam.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Data updated monthly from FRED, Zillow, AAA.
How does Denver compare to other Colorado cities?
Compare Cities Side by Side →