Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,060/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 $1,060 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 28% 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 $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 34% 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
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$998
$795
+20% in Colorado Springs, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$891
+32% in Colorado Springs, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,146
+24% in Colorado Springs, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,520
+19% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$242,200
+42% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$54,546
+34% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$47,760
+9% in Colorado Springs, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
34.6 yr
+1.0 yr in Colorado Springs, CO
Homeownership
61.3%
51.7%
+9.6 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
30.2%
+11.7 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Avg Commute
22.8 min
22.2 min
+0.6 min in Colorado Springs, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
721.1
645.8
+10% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,487.9
3,460
+1% 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
70.2°F
+21.2°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
11.6 in
+4.9 in in Colorado Springs, CO

Gas

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

Area: Colorado vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
Free

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

Utilities

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

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% 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 Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Tucson?
Colorado Springs is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Tucson 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).