Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/mo est.

vs
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,180/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,180 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO — about 26% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Denver, CO
Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$961
+36% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$1,031
+35% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$1,211
+38% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,381
+39% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$227,000
+61% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$67,449
+26% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$50,820
+18% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
35.7 yr
+0.5 yr in Kansas City, MO
Homeownership
49.1%
54.6%
+5.5 pp in Kansas City, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
37.8%
+17.8 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
21.9 min
+3.5 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
998.3
1,556.3
+56% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
4,781.9
4,719.3
+1% 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
56.7°F
+6.5°F in Kansas City, MO
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
39.1 in
+23.5 in in Kansas City, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.58/gal
$4.35/gal
+5% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
$2.00
+27% in Denver, CO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
13.4
+20% in Denver, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$15.74
+35% in Kansas City, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.14
+5% in Denver, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.79
+15% in Denver, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$3.63
+61% in Kansas City, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.97
+4% in Denver, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.15
+1% in Kansas City, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.63
+15% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / MO)
2.9%
4.225%
+1.3 pp in MO
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
4.70%
+0.3 pp in MO

Denver vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Kansas City?
Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Kansas City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Kansas City?
Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).