Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Salem

Oregon

$1,170/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 $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 20% 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 $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 14% higher in Colorado Springs, 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.

Colorado Springs, CO
Salem, OR

Rent

Studio
$998
$1,075
+8% in Salem, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$989
+24% in Colorado Springs, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,337
+11% in Colorado Springs, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,778
+5% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$382,400
+9% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$71,900
+14% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$55,310
+5% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
35.7 yr
+0.1 yr in Salem, OR
Homeownership
61.3%
55.7%
+5.6 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
31.4%
+10.5 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Avg Commute
22.8 min
22.4 min
+0.4 min in Colorado Springs, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
722.1
540.6
+25% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,488.7
2,878.6
+17% 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
53.0°F
+4.0°F in Salem, OR
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
39.7 in
+23.1 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)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — Mountain Metro 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
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$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

Colorado Springs vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Salem?
Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% 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 Salem?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Salem?
Colorado Springs 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).