Question 1

Is Boston or Denver cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Denver, CO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,652/month less than in Boston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,941/mo in Boston versus $2,089/mo in Denver.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Boston vs Denver?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $122,000/year before tax in Boston, MA and $84,000/year in Denver, CO — a difference of about $38,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Boston or Denver cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Denver, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $10,978/month in Boston and $8,304/month in Denver, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Boston or Denver?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Denver costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Boston51	Denver57
Est. monthly cost (single)	$6,123	$4,471
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$10,978	$8,304
Salary for comfort	$122,000/yr	$84,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,941	$2,089
Median home value	$710,400	$586,700
Median household income	$94,755	$91,681
Unemployment	4.1%	3.8%
Housing score	10	32
Jobs score	32	41
Safety score	86	35
Climate score	86	93
Amenities score	70	64
Population	664K	713.7K
Summer high / winter low	81° / 22°	92° / 20°

Boston, MA vs Denver, CO