Moving to Colorado from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Colorado — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Colorado, you would find that Colorado is 8.0% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $68,240 in Colorado to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Denver averages 65°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler. What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Colorado. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $68,240 To maintain the same standard of living in Colorado Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 2.3% less Groceries pay 10.3% less Transportation pay 3.1% less Housing pay 11.9% less Childcare pay 23.7% less Entertainment and Sports pay 10.1% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Colorado cost about 15% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Colorado. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year California generally does better on safety, though Colorado leads in violent crime rate. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colorado leads in adult obesity rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Colorado performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Colorado performs significantly better than California across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though Colorado leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree California generally does better on family life, though Colorado leads in bachelor's degree or higher. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Yes — Colorado is on average about 9% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,060 in Colorado on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). California generally does better on safety, though Colorado leads in violent crime rate. California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Colorado leads in adult obesity rate. The average high temperature in Denver is 65°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Denver receives around 14.3 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Denver Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Denver Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Colorado than California?
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What's the weather like in Colorado compared to California?
