Cost of Living in the Mountain West
Arizona, Colorado, Nevada & New Mexico
Photo: Harold Wainwright / UnsplashThe Mountain West — Arizona, Colorado, Nevada & New Mexico — covers 8 cities we track across 4 states. Median one-bedroom rent across those cities is $1,217 — about the same as the $1,271 median across the 6 regions we track.
The cheapest city we track in the Mountain West is Albuquerque, NM, at $889/mo for a one-bedroom; the priciest is Denver, CO, at $1,583/mo. Median household income across the region's tracked cities is $77,910, 7% higher than the $72,701 median across all regions.
Region Medians
Median 1BR Rent
$1,217
Median Home Value
$388,600
Median Income
$77,910
Medians across the 8 cities we track in the Mountain West — not a population-weighted regional figure.
States in the Mountain West
Cities in the Mountain West
Mountain West cost of living — FAQ
- Is the Mountain West expensive to live in?
- The Mountain West is around the middle of the 6 US regions we track. Its median one-bedroom rent of $1,217 ranks #4 of 6 and is about the same as the $1,271 median.
- What is the cheapest city to live in in the Mountain West?
- Albuquerque, NM is the cheapest of the cities we track in the Mountain West, with a one-bedroom rent of $889 a month.
- What is the most expensive city in the Mountain West?
- Denver, CO is the priciest of the cities we track in the Mountain West, with a one-bedroom rent of $1,583 a month.
- Which states are in the Mountain West?
- We track cities in 4 states in the Mountain West: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada & New Mexico.
Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year; NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010; Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).