Retirement Lists

Cost of Living in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Skyline of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, March 2026.
Photo by Quintin Soloviev via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Colorado Springs costs

A mountain city needs an altitude- and hazard-aware budget

Census estimates for 2020 through 2024 place median owner value at $452,600, median gross rent at $1,648, and median selected owner costs at $2,063 with a mortgage or $607 without one. Median household income was $84,818.

Add taxes, insurance, utilities, heating, cooling, snow, hail, wildfire and flood coverage, repairs, parking, transportation, care, and prescriptions. Compare a home near services with a lower-cost property that adds elevation or evacuation miles.

Planning a monthly budget

A local monthly estimate of $3,790 gives you the starting point, with housing taking the largest share.

Housing
$1,391
Utilities (in rent)
$236
Food
$594/mo
Transportation
$1,289/mo
Healthcare
$516

Utilities are included in housing so they are not added twice. The separate Utilities row is a reference estimate.

How the total can change

A traveler style stay, a couple household, and long term rent answer different planning questions.

Comfortable Living
$5,415

Moderate

Cost of Living for Couple
$5,480

Moderate

Typical 1BR Rent
$1,391

Very Good

Everyday expenses

Dining, transportation, taxes, and car needs can change how the monthly budget feels.

Dining Out
$387/mo

Good

Need for a Car
Required
Property Taxes
Low

Good

Overall Feel
Moderate
Residents 65+ Below Poverty Level
8.1%
65+ Householder — Renter Occupied
23.1%
65+ Households With High Housing Costs
34.5%
Median Household Income, Householder 65+
$67,377

Could Colorado Springs fit your monthly retirement budget?

Compare your monthly budget with a city estimate. Add your expected housing amount when you have a more useful number.

Housing

Enter your expected rent and required housing charges, or leave this blank to use the current renter amount.

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Starting renter estimates

Use these broad monthly estimates as a starting point, then replace them with costs you know.

One person
$3,790 per month
Two people
$5,480 per month

One-person estimate breakdown

Housing
$1,391
Food
$594
Transportation
$1,289
Healthcare
$516

Taxes, debt, insurance, out-of-pocket care, travel, and one-time moving costs may not be included.

Colorado Springs in everyday life

Could Colorado Springs work for you?

What may work well

  • Census provides city-level housing benchmarks.
  • A Level I trauma center may reduce some high-acuity regional travel.

What to think about

  • Hazard coverage, snow, heating, hail, and altitude can add materially.
  • Large-city traffic and regional specialist trips may raise transportation cost.

Price a Colorado Springs household

  1. Compare several addresses

    Keep housing, taxes, insurance, utilities, snow, hazards, repairs, parking, and service distance visible.

  2. Map recurring care

    Price Memorial Hospital, pharmacy, groceries, library, parks, transit, family, and specialists from the home.

  3. Reserve for weather

    Keep room for heating, cooling, snow, hail, smoke, drainage, power, and a ride during an evacuation or warning.

Questions retirees ask

Is $607 the full cost of owning without a mortgage?

No. It is the Census median for selected owner costs without a mortgage. Add taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, snow, hazards, care, and transportation.

Why do Colorado Springs homes have different budgets?

Elevation, hazards, insurance, utilities, snow, traffic, repairs, distance, parking, and access to care vary by address.

Colorado Springs affordability depends on the property, hazard coverage, altitude, winter maintenance, care route, transportation, and the distance between outdoor access and daily services.

Sources

The budget value gives a starting point for everyday spending. Housing, healthcare, safety, and climate can change what feels comfortable for a household.

Housing mix, exchange rates, healthcare needs, car ownership, and travel style can move a real monthly budget materially.

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How this city research is made

Retirement Lists uses documented public sources and methods to research, review, and correct city information. Read our Editorial Policy.