Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Rochester?

Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Rochester?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $44,000 in Rochester.

Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Rochester?

Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Aurora vs Rochester Cost of Living 2026

Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

Rochester

Minnesota

$1,280/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 $1,280 in Rochester, MN. Overall, Rochester, MN is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Aurora, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $87,767 in Rochester, MN — about 3% higher in Rochester, MN. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Aurora, CO

Rochester, MN

Rent

Studio

—

$1,080

1 Bedroom

$1,138

$1,106

+3% in Aurora, CO

2 Bedroom

$2,284

$1,243

+46% in Aurora, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,320

$1,646

+29% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$689,000

$287,500

+58% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$85,364

$87,767

+3% in Rochester, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$60,620

+3% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

36.4 yr

+1.1 yr in Rochester, MN

Homeownership

46.0%

65.4%

+19.4 pp in Rochester, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

41.4%

50.1%

+8.7 pp in Rochester, MN

Avg Commute

18.7 min

17.2 min

+1.5 min in Aurora, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

952.9

158.9

+83% in Aurora, CO

Property Crime

3,368.1

1,379

+59% 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

45.4°F

+4.8°F in Aurora, CO

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

33.0 in

+17.4 in in Rochester, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.25/gal

$3.95/gal

+7% in Aurora, CO

Area: Colorado vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

16.9

+5% in Rochester, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.92

$14.95

+25% in Rochester, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Aurora, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Aurora, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Rochester, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Aurora, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Rochester, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Aurora, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / MN)

2.9%

6.875%

+4.0 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

9.85%

+5.4 pp in MN

Aurora vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Rochester?: Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Rochester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $44,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Rochester?: Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).