Cost of Living in Boulder, CO, United States

Updated On June 21, 2023

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Boulder, CO?

Even though the cost of living in one country depends a lot on calculations made by people living there, as there are families who need more money for daily spending and families who have much less to spend, it can be said that Boulder is not so expensive place and basic needs can be fulfilled with an average monthly salary.

Nevertheless, the most frequent question of those who want to move there is how much money is needed to cover the monthly expenses.

Cost of Living Index:
72.4
* Based on Research & User Data
Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

The fact that it is not one of the most famous cities in the United States makes this place less expensive than those places in the rest of the country when it comes to restaurant prices.

So, if you are planning to eat out during your stay here, you will be fascinated to pay a lower price for a meal which is not usual in the United States.

Markets

MARKETS

The average price of a lunch in a Bolder’s restaurant is definitely very affordable, but there are always those who are interested in buying groceries and making their own food, so as to save some money on it.

You can find groceries at extremely reasonable prices at local markets.

Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

Before moving to Boulder, it is necessary to get all the information related to transportation and investigate the costs as you would be commuting daily.

Transportation costs here are very reasonable if you decide to use public transport.

n the other hand, for those who decide to drive, commuting would take much more money.

Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

When all the living costs are included, a frequent question is how much it costs to pay all the utilities while living in an apartment in Boulder.

After some time spent in Boulder, you will find out that this is an affordable place to live compared with other U.S. cities, as utilities prices are not so high.

Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

Considering the fact that more and more people are devoting time and money to sports and fitness, the prices have become a little bit higher, and Boulder is among those cities where these activities are very expensive.

You must pay more than $91.67 for a fitness club, while tennis courts have higher prices.

Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

The people who enjoy shopping might find Boulder a place of not-so-expensive quality designer clothes whose prices are in line with the average income of Boulder’s residents.

The standard of living is high, but the prices of clothing items are lower than in the rest of the U.S.

Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

If you decide to live in Boulder, you will have to think whether it is better to rent a flat or buy a house and where it should be located, either closer to your work to save on commuting or far away from the city center to save on the rent.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Boulder, CO

*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.
Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)$20.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter)$7.00
Water (0.33 Liter)$2.64
Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter)$1.25
Loaf Bread (500g)$4.13
Eggs (12)$3.67
Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket$2.75
Monthly Pass$200.00
Gasoline$0.91
Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling)$167.15
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local$0.10
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)$76.88
Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult$91.67
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour)$30.00
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release$15.00
Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable)$70.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...)$45.00
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range)$96.67
Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center$2158.33
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center$1554.17
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center$3950.00

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Boulder, CO?

According to the statistics, an average citizen in Boulder spends the most money on renting a flat.

Besides the rent, food is also a great expense as these two things are the most important and crucial for living.

The least money is spent on clothing and utilities, taking into consideration the fact that they are inexpensive here.

It is interesting that more money is spent on restaurants than on transportation which takes only 9% of all costs.

Sports activities are very expensive, thus taking up a lot of money.

Average Costs Breakdown

12.1%
28.7%
9.3%
6.1%
5.4%
2.1%
36.2%

Boulder, CO: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

All in all, you can survive a month with the average salary in Boulder if you are used to a modest lifestyle, but those who earn the minimum wage would struggle to cover all the expenses.

However, for those who look for more comfortable living conditions, a salary above the average would be enough.

Rare are the people who can afford a mortgage interest rate of $6.47 per year, so the majority would choose to rent rather than buy property here.

Average Salary$7049.83
Minimum Wage$1256.7
Mortgage Interest Rate6.47%

Boulder Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Boulder Safety Review

Safety Index:
85
Boulder
  • OVERALL RISK: LOW
  • TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
  • PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
  • NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
  • MUGGING RISK: LOW
  • TERRORISM RISK: LOW
  • SCAMS RISK: LOW
  • WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Boulder, CO

CityCost of Living Index
Albany, NY72.4
Albuquerque, NM72.4
Anchorage, AK72.4
Ann Arbor, MI72.4
Arlington, TX72.4
Asheville, NC72.4
Atlanta, GA72.4
Austin, TX72.4
Bakersfield, CA72.4
Baltimore, MD72.4
Bellevue, WA72.4
Bellingham, WA72.4
Berkeley, CA72.4
Birmingham, AL72.4
Boise, ID72.4
Boston, MA72.4
Brooklyn, NY72.4
Buffalo, NY72.4
Burlington, VT72.4
Charleston, SC72.4
Charlotte, NC73.33
Chattanooga, TN72.4
Chicago, IL72.4
Cincinnati, OH72.4
Cleveland, OH72.4
Columbia, SC72.4
Columbus, OH72.4
Dallas, TX72.4
Dayton, OH72.4
Denver, CO72.4
Des Moines, IA72.4
Detroit, MI72.4
El Paso, TX72.4
Eugene, OR72.4
Everett, WA72.4
Fayetteville, AR72.4
Fort Myers, FL72.4
Fort Wayne, IN72.4
Fort Worth, TX72.4
Fresno, CA74.2
Gainesville, FL74.2
Grand Rapids, MI74.2
Greensboro, NC74.2
Hartford, CT74.2
Honolulu, HI74.2
Houston, TX74.2
Huntsville, AL74.2
Indianapolis, IN74.2
Irvine, CA74.2
Jacksonville, FL74.2
Jersey City, NJ74.2
Kansas City, MO74.2
Knoxville, TN74.2
Las Vegas, NV74.2
Lexington, KY74.2
Little Rock, AR74.2
Long Beach, CA74.2
Los Angeles, CA74.2
Louisville, KY74.2
Lubbock, TX74.2
Madison, WI74.2
Memphis, TN74.2
Miami, FL74.2
Milwaukee, WI74.2
Minneapolis, MN74.2
Nashville, TN74.2
New Orleans, LA74.2
New York, NY74.2
Oakland, CA74.2
Oklahoma City, OK74.2
Olympia, WA74.2
Orlando, FL74.2
Peoria, IL72.4
Philadelphia, PA72.4
Phoenix, AZ72.4
Pittsburgh, PA72.4
Portland, ME72.4
Portland, OR72.4
Raleigh, NC72.4
Reno, NV72.4
Richmond, VA74.2
Rochester, NY74.2
Sacramento, CA74.2
Saint Louis, MO74.2
Saint Paul, MN74.2
Saint Petersburg, FL74.2
Salem, OR74.2
Salt Lake City, UT74.2
San Antonio, TX74.2
San Diego, CA74.2
San Francisco, CA74.2
San Jose, CA74.2
Santa Barbara, CA74.2
Santa Rosa, CA74.2
Seattle, WA74.2
Spokane, WA74.2
Springfield, MO74.2
Syracuse, NY74.2
Tacoma, WA74.2
Tallahassee, FL74.2
Tampa, FL74.2
Toledo, OH74.2
Tucson, AZ74.2
Tulsa, OK74.2
Vancouver, WA74.2
Virginia Beach, VA74.2
Washington, DC74.2
West Palm Beach, FL74.2
Wichita, KS74.2

Where to Next?

See these related locations:

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

Share Your Experience

Share
Facebook Pinterest