Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Grand Forks, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Grand Forks, ND: $2,035 a month against $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
Learn more

Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Grand Forks, ND
Learn more

Grand Forks, ND Living Index

Jump to prices

Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,980

/mo nomad

Grand Forks, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colorado Springs, CO and in Grand Forks, ND

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,035 in Grand Forks, ND.

Colorado Springs, CO $2,980
Grand Forks, ND $2,035

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,295 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,968 in Grand Forks, ND.

Colorado Springs, CO $4,295
Grand Forks, ND $2,968

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,610 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,901 in Grand Forks, ND.

Colorado Springs, CO $5,610
Grand Forks, ND $3,901

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 46% more expensive than in Grand Forks, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 120% above, Grand Forks, ND 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$21.31 $21.31

-7.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.6 $85.6

$81.5 $81.5

5.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 $12.79

$13.11 $13.11

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$6.13 $6.13

-9.46%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.82 $2.82

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.96 $2.96

-25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.87 $4.87

26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.14 $7.14

$5.96 $5.96

19.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.13 $1.13

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.62 $3.62

-8.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$4.48 $4.48

-5.13%

Eggs

$6.19 $6.19

$3.69 $3.69

67.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$24.28 $24.28

-38.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.98 $1.98

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.43 $4.43

-2.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.26 $3.26

40.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.21 $2.21

8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.85 $2.85

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.22 $2.22

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.04 $2.04

-5.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$10.05 $10.05

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.27 $19.27

$35.08 $35.08

-45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.08 $6.08

-22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.49 $1.49

18.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 $63.8

$41.18 $41.18

54.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 $3.73

$6.03 $6.03

-38.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.07 $25.07

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.88 $0.88

15.91%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

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

$26.8K $26.8K

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

$201 $201

$217 $217

-7.07%

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

$96.1 $96.1

$115 $115

-16.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 $100

$72.6 $72.6

38.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 $57.5

$62.9 $62.9

-8.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.26 $33.26

Cinema Ticket

$14.73 $14.73

$15.04 $15.04

-2.06%

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

$1,473 $1,473

$586 $586

151.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.73 $34.73

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 $1,719

$975 $975

76.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 $1,520

$815 $815

86.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 $2,728

$1,564 $1,564

74.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 $2,370

$1,292 $1,292

83.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,598 $2,598

$1,664 $1,664

56.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,420 $2,420

$1,682 $1,682

43.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,333 $4,333

$4,125 $4,125

5.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.82

-1.47%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Grand Forks, ND: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.5K 51%

Grand Forks, ND

$815 40.1% 46.3% $704

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$441 14.8%

Grand Forks, ND

$327 * 16.1% 25.8% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 13.4%

Grand Forks, ND

$404 19.9% 1.6% $6.2

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$328 11%

Grand Forks, ND

$343 16.9% 4.7% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$125 4.2%

Grand Forks, ND

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$87 2.9%

Grand Forks, ND

$93 4.6% 6.9% $6

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$82 2.7%

Grand Forks, ND

$53 * 2.6% 34.9% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,719 in Colorado Springs, CO and $975 in Grand Forks, ND. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colorado Springs, CO pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $81.0 in Grand Forks, ND for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $441 vs $327 per month, with Grand Forks, ND cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Grand Forks, ND

🕒 Local time

06:37 6:37 AM

07:37 7:37 AM

1 h ahead of Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

50,372

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Colorado Springs, CO Grand Forks, ND 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
Grand Forks, ND

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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Grand Forks, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Grand Forks, ND is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, utilities, and clothing. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Colorado Springs, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,719 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $975 in Grand Forks, ND. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Grand Forks, ND – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $86.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,035 in Grand Forks, ND versus $2,980 in Colorado Springs, CO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Grand Forks, ND but tight or insufficient in Colorado Springs, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Grand Forks, ND the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Colorado Springs, CO and Grand Forks, ND are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Grand Forks, ND gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.