Moving to Missouri from Colorado

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Colorado to Missouri? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Colorado to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 13.1% cheaper than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly $58,603 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Colorado and Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $58,603

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 16.8% less

Groceries

pay 4.1% less

Transportation

pay 1.2% more

Housing

pay 22.2% less

Childcare

pay 15.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Missouri compared to Colorado.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
463
MO
453
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
2814
MO
2070

Missouri performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

CO
7.3%
MO
8.9%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CO
26.3%
MO
37.5%

Colorado performs better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

CO
$502,200
MO
$215,600
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

CO
$1,693
MO
$996

Missouri performs significantly better than Colorado across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CO
92.9%
MO
88.3%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

CO
26 min
MO
24 min

Colorado generally does better on infrastructure, though Missouri leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
3.6%
MO
3.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$74,650
MO
$56,344

Colorado generally does better on employment & economy, though Missouri leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

CO
78.3 yrs
MO
75.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

CO
30%
MO
22%

Colorado performs better than Missouri across all family life metrics.

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)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Denver Rain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Denver Columbia
Jan–Mar 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) 55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
Month Denver Columbia
Jan 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Missouri than Colorado?

On average Missouri is about 22% less expensive than Colorado, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Budget about $14,651 for 3 months in Missouri (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Missouri safe?

Missouri performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to Colorado?

Colorado performs better than Missouri across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Missouri compared to Colorado?

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.

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