Cost of Living Comparison Between Centennial, CO and Palmdale, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Centennial, CO and Palmdale, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,051 per month in Centennial, CO vs $2,782 in Palmdale, CA, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,316 per month in Centennial, CO vs $4,146 in Palmdale, CA, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,582 per month in Centennial, CO vs $5,510 in Palmdale, CA, rent included.

Centennial, CO costs about 10% more than Palmdale, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Centennial, CO and Palmdale, CA sit above the global median – Centennial, CO by 128%, Palmdale, CA by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$25.45 $25.45

-21.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 $93.8

$74.0 $74.0

26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$10.10 $10.10

29.60%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$5.64 $5.64

3.72%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.65 $2.65

12.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.47 $1.47

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.93 $7.93

1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$5.44 $5.44

123.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.23 $1.23

-7.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.33 $4.33

-36.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.36 $4.36

-0.92%

Eggs

$6.60 $6.60

$4.47 $4.47

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$12.44 $12.44

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$11.53 $11.53

-47.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$14.50 $14.50

29.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$6.02 $6.02

-49.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.45 $1.45

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.78 $3.78

-13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$4.07 $4.07

-28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$3.02 $3.02

-50.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.91 $2.91

-34.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.00 $2.00

25.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.02 $2.02

-2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 $10.89

$10.57 $10.57

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 $17.97

$11.84 $11.84

51.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.72 $1.72

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.46 $2.46

34.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$8.04 $8.04

$3.29 $3.29

144.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 $88.2

$50.4 $50.4

74.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.11 $4.11

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.10 $2.10

-24.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 $29.07

$53.5 $53.5

-45.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

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

$45.6K $45.6K

$28.5K $28.5K

60.25%

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$24.9K $24.9K

-9.91%

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

$238 $238

$198 $198

20.38%

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

$34.78 $34.78

$54.7 $54.7

-36.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$73.5 $73.5

0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.66 $49.66

$33.11 $33.11

49.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.2 $76.2

Cinema Ticket

$17.14 $17.14

$13.83 $13.83

23.93%

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

$1,260 $1,260

$399 $399

215.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

$7,800 $7,800

151.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$59.2 $59.2

-10.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.68 $32.68

$41.33 $41.33

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$78.2 $78.2

19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 $83.8

$119 $119

-29.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$1,685 $1,685

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,663 $1,663

$1,406 $1,406

18.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,160 $3,160

$3,200 $3,200

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$2,509 $2,509

-0.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 $3,159

$3,964 $3,964

-20.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,798 $2,798

$3,439 $3,439

-18.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,860 $6,860

$3,602 $3,602

90.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

6.67

-21.29%

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

Last update for Centennial, CO: April 22, 2026

Last update for Palmdale, CA: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,828 in Centennial, CO versus $1,685 in Palmdale, 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 90% higher in Centennial, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94 in Centennial, CO versus $74 in Palmdale, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $349 in Centennial, CO vs $388 in Palmdale, CA – so Centennial, CO wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Centennial, CO vs Palmdale, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,051 in Centennial, CO, $2,782 in Palmdale, CA – roughly 10% apart. Centennial, CO costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,576 per month in Centennial, CO and $4,172 in Palmdale, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmdale, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $94.0 in Centennial, CO and $74.0 in Palmdale, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,051 in Centennial, CO and $2,782 in Palmdale, CA. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,051 in Centennial, CO and $2,782 in Palmdale, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Palmdale, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palmdale, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Centennial, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.