Question 1

Is Denver or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Denver, CO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,551/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 3

Is Denver or Los Angeles cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Denver, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $8,304/month in Denver and $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or Los Angeles?

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	Denver57	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,471	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,304	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$84,000/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$2,903
Median home value	$586,700	$879,500
Median household income	$91,681	$80,366
Unemployment	3.8%	5.3%
Housing score	32	2
Jobs score	41	25
Safety score	35	47
Climate score	93	100
Amenities score	64	100
Population	713.7K	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	92° / 20°	89° / 47°

Denver, CO vs Los Angeles, CA