Moving to Washington from Colorado
What to Expect
Considering a move from Colorado to Washington? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Colorado to Washington, you would find that Washington is 3.0% more expensive than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly $73,470 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Colorado and Washington.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $73,470
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.0% less
Groceries
pay 4.5% more
Transportation
pay 7.1% more
Housing
pay 4.9% less
Childcare
pay 23.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.5% more
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 by city
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 Washington cost about 5% more than cities in Colorado.
Compare cities head-to-head
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Washington compared to Colorado.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Colorado generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Washington leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Colorado generally does better on what about housing?, though Washington leads in median rent.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Colorado generally does better on infrastructure, though Washington leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
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
Colorado generally does better on employment & economy, though Washington leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Colorado generally does better on family life, though Washington leads in life expectancy.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Denver | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Denver | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Washington than Colorado?
Washington and Colorado are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Budget about $18,368 for 3 months in Washington (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Washington safe?
Colorado generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Colorado?
Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Washington leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Colorado?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.
