Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Juneau?

Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Juneau?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $50,000 in Juneau.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or Juneau?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Denver vs Juneau Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,760/mo est.

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,760 in Denver, CO versus $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 9% higher in Juneau, AK. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Denver, CO

Juneau, AK

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$993

+34% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,257

+21% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,647

+16% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$1,949

+14% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$432,500

+26% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$100,513

+10% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

39.8 yr

+4.6 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

49.1%

64.4%

+15.3 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

40.5%

+15.1 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

15.8 min

+9.6 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

999.3

515.6

+48% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

4,781.1

2,113.1

+56% in Denver, 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

42.1°F

+8.1°F in Denver, CO

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

62.3 in

+46.7 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.16/gal

$5.21/gal

+25% in Juneau, AK

Area: Denver vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.1

28.2

+65% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.05

$17.35

+15% in Juneau, AK

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 / AK)

2.9%

None

+2.9 pp in CO

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

None

+4.4 pp in CO

Denver vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Juneau?: Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Juneau?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $50,000 in Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Juneau?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax 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).