Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Salem?

Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Aurora vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Aurora

Colorado

$1,300/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/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 $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Aurora, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $85,364 in Aurora, CO and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 16% higher in Aurora, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Aurora, CO

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

—

$1,075

1 Bedroom

$1,138

$989

+13% in Aurora, CO

2 Bedroom

$2,284

$1,337

+41% in Aurora, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,320

$1,778

+23% in Aurora, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$689,000

$382,400

+44% in Aurora, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$85,364

$71,900

+16% in Aurora, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$55,310

+11% in Aurora, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

35.7 yr

+0.4 yr in Salem, OR

Homeownership

46.0%

55.7%

+9.7 pp in Salem, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

41.4%

31.4%

+10.0 pp in Aurora, CO

Avg Commute

18.7 min

22.4 min

+3.7 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

952.9

540.6

+43% in Aurora, CO

Property Crime

3,368.1

2,878.6

+15% 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

53.0°F

+2.8°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

39.7 in

+24.1 in in Salem, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.25/gal

$5.09/gal

+20% in Salem, OR

Area: Colorado vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

16.3

+1% in Salem, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$11.92

$20.59

+73% in Salem, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / OR)

2.9%

None

+2.9 pp in CO

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

9.90%

+5.5 pp in OR

Aurora vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Aurora, CO's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Aurora than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Aurora versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Aurora or Salem?: Aurora is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).