Question 1

Is Denver or New York cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Denver, CO is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,270/month less than in New York, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $2,910/mo in New York.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs New York?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,000/year before tax in Denver, CO and $121,000/year in New York, NY — a difference of about $37,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or New York 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 $9,750/month in New York, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or New York?

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	New York41
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,471	$5,741
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$8,304	$9,750
Salary for comfort	$84,000/yr	$121,000/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$2,910
Median home value	$586,700	$751,700
Median household income	$91,681	$79,713
Unemployment	3.8%	5.2%
Housing score	32	3
Jobs score	41	36
Safety score	35	47
Climate score	93	96
Amenities score	64	40
Population	713.7K	8.5M
Summer high / winter low	92° / 20°	86° / 23°

Denver, CO vs New York, NY