Living Cost Compare
Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Aurora, CO versus $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Aurora, CO is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 22% higher in Aurora, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,127
1 Bedroom
$1,138
$1,146
+1% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$2,284
$1,385
+39% in Aurora, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,320
$1,545
+33% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$689,000
$266,100
+61% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$85,364
$66,981
+22% in Aurora, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$48,830
+22% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
36.4 yr
+1.1 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
46.0%
57.4%
+11.4 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.4%
31.8%
+9.6 pp in Aurora, CO
Avg Commute
18.7 min
24.1 min
+5.4 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
952.4
557.6
+41% in Aurora, CO
Property Crime
3,366.6
2,599.5
+23% in Aurora, CO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
70.2°F
+20.0°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
49.2 in
+33.6 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.54/gal
$4.25/gal
+6% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
$1.75
+36% in Aurora, CO

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs JTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
14.9
+11% in Aurora, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$23.62
+103% in Jacksonville, FL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Aurora, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Aurora, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Aurora, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Aurora, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Aurora, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Aurora, CO

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / FL)
2.9%
6%
+3.1 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
None
+4.4 pp in CO

Aurora vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Jacksonville?
Aurora, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Jacksonville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Jacksonville?
Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).