Fort Collins, Colorado
Living in Fort Collins, Colorado is about 15% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 115 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,973 a month, 2% above 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 41% of the area's $89,576 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.83
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,973
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$15.49
Combo meal
Electricity
17.17¢
per kWh · ~$155/mo
Car Insurance
$168/mo
$2,015/yr
Median Household Income
$89,576
41.3% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,015 in Fort Collins. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,973/mo in Fort Collins. 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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.49 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$3.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$2.79 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$5.29 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$3.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$2.79 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (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 - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$5.29 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ King Soopers - Midtown Marketplace (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$15.49
Casual Dining
$27.93
Monthly Spend
$481.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Fort Collins?
Average 1BR: $1,618/mo · 2BR: $2,328/mo
Fort Collins Cost of Living FAQ
Is Fort Collins, CO expensive to live in?
Fort Collins 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 3rd most affordable of the 8 Colorado cities we track.
What is the average rent in Fort Collins, CO?
Typical rent in Fort Collins is $1,973 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 2% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,618 and two bedrooms about $2,328. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Fort Collins?
Rent in Fort Collins rose 1.6% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Fort Collins?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.83 a gallon in Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins?
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 Fort Collins is about $155.
How much is car insurance in Fort Collins?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,015 a year in Colorado, or about $168 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Fort Collins?
Median household income in the Fort Collins area is $89,576 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $36,952 a year, or 41% 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 Fort Collins compare with the rest of Colorado?
Rent in Fort Collins is about the same as 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.
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