Cost of Living: Denver, CO vs San Francisco, CA
Denver is about 9% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Comparing Denver, CO and San Francisco, CA across cost of living, rent, income, and the salary needed to live comfortably. Denver has a lower overall price level, driven mainly by housing.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | Denver | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 105.8 | 115.6 |
| Median rent | $1,770 | $2,419 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom (FMR) | $1,754 | $2,385 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom (FMR) | $2,089 | $2,912 |
| Median home value | $586,700 | $1,380,500 |
| Median household income | $91,681 | $141,446 |
| Salary needed (single) | $70,200 | $95,400 |
| Salary needed (family) | $109,400 | $149,000 |
Green highlights the more favorable value for each metric. Lower is better for costs; higher is better for income. Figures are estimates from public data (BEA, Census, HUD).
Which City Is More Affordable?
Overall, Denver is the more affordable of the two, with a cost-of-living index of 105.8 versus 115.6 for San Francisco. The biggest difference is usually housing, where rents in San Francisco run noticeably higher.
You can read the full breakdown for each city on its own page: cost of living in Denver and cost of living in San Francisco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Denver or San Francisco?
Denver is about 9% cheaper than San Francisco overall, based on the BEA cost-of-living index (Denver: 105.8 vs San Francisco: 115.6).
What is the rent difference between Denver and San Francisco?
The median rent is $1,770 in Denver and $2,419 in San Francisco.
How much salary do you need in Denver vs San Francisco?
A single person needs about $70,200 in Denver and $95,400 in San Francisco to live comfortably.
Data Sources
Cost-of-living index from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities). Income, rent, and home value from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-Year). Fair Market Rents from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.