Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,470 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Mesa, AZ is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Colorado Springs, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO and $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 5% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Colorado Springs, CO
Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio
$998
$1,209
+21% in Mesa, AZ
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$1,288
+1% in Colorado Springs, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,458
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,819
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$364,300
+13% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$78,779
+5% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$51,380
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
37.2 yr
+1.6 yr in Mesa, AZ
Homeownership
61.3%
64.4%
+3.1 pp in Mesa, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
31.5%
+10.4 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Avg Commute
22.8 min
25.0 min
+2.2 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
721.1
485.8
+33% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,487.9
1,487.8
+57% in Colorado Springs, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.0°F
75.1°F
+26.1°F in Mesa, AZ
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
8.0 in
+8.5 in in Colorado Springs, CO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.54/gal
$5.57/gal
+23% in Mesa, AZ

Area: Colorado vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$2.00
+14% in Mesa, AZ

Adult base one-way fare — Mountain Metro vs Valley Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
15.6
+7% in Colorado Springs, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$19.69
+69% in Mesa, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / AZ)
2.9%
5.6%
+2.7 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
2.50%
+1.9 pp in CO

Colorado Springs vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Mesa?
Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Colorado Springs, CO's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Colorado Springs than in Mesa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Mesa?
Colorado Springs is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).