Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — 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; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Colorado Springs, CO
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$998
$1,242
+24% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$1,324
+1% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,673
+11% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,729
+8% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$375,300
+11% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$71,302
+14% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$48,940
+7% in Colorado Springs, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
35.6 yr
about equal
Homeownership
61.3%
50.2%
+11.1 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
44.6%
+2.7 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
22.8 min
24.7 min
+1.9 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
721.1
443.4
+39% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,487.9
1,473.2
+58% 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
73.4°F
+24.4°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
46.3 in
+29.8 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

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

Area: Colorado vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$2.00
+14% in Tampa, FL

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

Utilities

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

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

Groceries

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

Colorado Springs vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Tampa?
Colorado Springs, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,470 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Colorado Springs than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Tampa?
Colorado Springs is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Tampa 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).