Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/mo est.

vs
Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/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 $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 47% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Denver, CO
Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$756
+49% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$843
+47% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$978
+50% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,136
+50% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$178,100
+70% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$48,465
+47% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$44,820
+28% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
37.5 yr
+2.3 yr in Shreveport, LA
Homeownership
49.1%
53.8%
+4.7 pp in Shreveport, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
27.5%
+28.1 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
19.0 min
+6.4 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
999.3
1,235.4
+24% in Shreveport, LA
Property Crime
4,781.1
4,048.2
+15% 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
65.5°F
+15.3°F in Shreveport, LA
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
51.0 in
+35.4 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.62/gal
+15% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
14.2
+12% in Denver, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.92
$16.62
+39% in Shreveport, LA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Denver, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Denver, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Shreveport, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Denver, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Denver, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / LA)
2.9%
5%
+2.1 pp in LA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
3.00%
+1.4 pp in CO

Denver vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Shreveport?
Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Shreveport?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $34,000 in Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Shreveport?
Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% 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).