Question 1

Is Denver or El Paso cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $811/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,191/mo in El Paso.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs El Paso?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,500/year before tax in Denver, CO and $63,500/year in El Paso, TX — a difference of about $21,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or El Paso cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $11,167/month in Denver and $8,277/month in El Paso, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or El Paso?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. El Paso 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	Denver54	El Paso79
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,499	$3,688
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$11,167	$8,277
Salary for comfort	$84,500/yr	$63,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,191
Median home value	$586,700	$171,700
Median household income	$91,681	$58,734
Unemployment	4.1%	4.8%
Housing score	30	85
Jobs score	44	46
Safety score	35	98
Climate score	74	94
Amenities score	64	39
Population	713.7K	678.1K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 17°	95° / 33°

Denver, CO vs El Paso, TX