Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boulder, CO and Fairfield, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Boulder, CO: $3,303 a month against $3,978 in Fairfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

159

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index
190

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CA
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Fairfield, CA Living Index

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Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,303

/mo nomad

Fairfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Boulder, CO and in Fairfield, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Boulder, CO and in Fairfield, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,303 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,978 in Fairfield, CA, rent included.

Boulder, CO $3,303
Fairfield, CA $3,978

A couple spends around $4,905 per month in Boulder, CO vs $5,242 in Fairfield, CA, rent included.

Boulder, CO $4,905
Fairfield, CA $5,242

A family of three spends $6,508 per month in Boulder, CO vs $6,507 in Fairfield, CA, rent included.

Boulder, CO $6,508
Fairfield, CA $6,507

Boulder, CO is about 17% cheaper than Fairfield, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Boulder, CO and Fairfield, CA sit above the global median – Boulder, CO by 144%, Fairfield, CA by 194%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$21.62 $21.62

-6.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$88.7 $88.7

-10.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.98 $14.98

$12.01 $12.01

24.73%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$6.94 $6.94

-17.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.49 $3.49

1.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.02 $2.02

45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.98 $7.98

-13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$7.16 $7.16

10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.41 $1.41

-12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$5.50 $5.50

$4.42 $4.42

24.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$4.68 $4.68

43.16%

Eggs

$5.48 $5.48

$5.54 $5.54

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 $11.77

$14.08 $14.08

-16.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$15.20 $15.20

-26.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$17.77 $17.77

-2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$6.11 $6.11

-4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$2.59 $2.59

-44.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$6.35 $6.35

-4.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.60 $6.60

-8.18%

Potato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.89 $3.89

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.54 $3.54

4.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.33 $2.33

49.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.06 $2.06

33.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 $10.26

$11.87 $11.87

-13.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.09 $17.09

$10.18 $10.18

67.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.11 $2.11

-9.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.12 $2.12

133.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.96 $1.96

41.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.9 $86.9

$87.1 $87.1

-0.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.95 $2.95

-16.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.95 $1.95

-27.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.02 $24.02

$29.14 $29.14

-17.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.43 $1.43

-25.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.5K $28.5K

$28.2K $28.2K

1.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.47%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$193 $193

18.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$48.25 $48.25

48.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$72.9 $72.9

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.5 $75.5

$125 $125

-39.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 $19.92

$73.7 $73.7

-72.98%

Cinema Ticket

$18.82 $18.82

$14.61 $14.61

28.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,927 $1,927

$1,293 $1,293

49.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$22.3K $22.3K

45.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 $68.0

$51.1 $51.1

33.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.54 $49.54

$37.08 $37.08

33.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$107 $107

-13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$112 $112

26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$2,396 $2,396

-8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,726 $1,726

$2,432 $2,432

-29.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,833 $3,833

$3,100 $3,100

23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,071 $3,071

$2,967 $2,967

3.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,157 $6,157

$3,719 $3,719

65.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,617 $4,617

$3,665 $3,665

25.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,513 $5,513

$4,749 $4,749

16.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.48

2.93%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 31, 2026

Last update for Fairfield, CA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Boulder, CO

$1.7K 52.3%

Fairfield, CA

$2.4K 61.1% 40.9% $706

Groceries & Markets

Boulder, CO

$472 14.3%

Fairfield, CA

$463 11.7% 1.9% $9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boulder, CO

$375 11.4%

Fairfield, CA

$314 7.9% 16.3% $61

Eating Out

Boulder, CO

$351 10.6%

Fairfield, CA

$369 9.3% 4.9% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Boulder, CO

$158 4.8%

Fairfield, CA

$138 3.5% 12.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Boulder, CO

$113 3.4%

Fairfield, CA

$155 3.9% 36.6% $41

Getting Around

Boulder, CO

$108 3.3%

Fairfield, CA

$108 2.7% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Boulder, CO versus $2,396 in Fairfield, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Boulder, CO, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Boulder, CO versus $89 in Fairfield, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $472 in Boulder, CO vs $463 in Fairfield, CA – so Fairfield, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CA

🕒 Local time

01:17 1:17 AM

00:17 12:17 AM

1 h behind Boulder, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,803

117,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Boulder, CO Fairfield, CA 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Boulder, CO
Fairfield, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Boulder, CO vs Fairfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairfield, CA is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,955 per month in Boulder, CO and $5,966 in Fairfield, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,181 in Boulder, CO and $2,396 in Fairfield, CA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Boulder, CO and $89 in Fairfield, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,927 per month in Boulder, CO and $1,293 in Fairfield, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,303 in Boulder, CO and $3,978 in Fairfield, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Boulder, CO has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,303 in Boulder, CO to $3,978 in Fairfield, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.