Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Paterson?

Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $47,000 in Paterson.

Which has lower taxes, Denver or Paterson?

Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Denver vs Paterson Cost of Living 2026

Denver

Colorado

$1,760/mo est.

Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 41% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Denver, CO

Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio

$1,497

$786

+47% in Denver, CO

1 Bedroom

$1,583

$1,183

+25% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,958

$1,468

+25% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,269

$1,729

+24% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$586,700

$335,400

+43% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$91,681

$53,766

+41% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$62,320

$61,430

+1% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.2 yr

33.3 yr

+1.9 yr in Denver, CO

Homeownership

49.1%

26.2%

+22.9 pp in Denver, CO

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.6%

12.5%

+43.1 pp in Denver, CO

Avg Commute

25.4 min

23.1 min

+2.3 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

999.3

1,010.1

+1% in Paterson, NJ

Property Crime

4,781.1

2,391.4

+50% 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

52.2°F

+2.0°F in Paterson, NJ

Annual Precipitation

15.6 in

49.0 in

+33.5 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.16/gal

$3.94/gal

+5% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.1

24.9

+46% in Paterson, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.05

$17.68

+17% in Paterson, NJ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Paterson, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / NJ)

2.9%

6.625%

+3.7 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

4.40%

10.75%

+6.3 pp in NJ

Denver vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Paterson?: Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Denver, CO's $1,760, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Paterson?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Paterson?: Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).