Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Pasadena, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO: $2,721 a month against $3,590 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pasadena, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,590

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colorado Springs, CO and in Pasadena, CA

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 Pasadena, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,590 in Pasadena, CA.

Colorado Springs, CO $2,721
Pasadena, CA $3,590

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,253 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $5,100 in Pasadena, CA.

Colorado Springs, CO $4,253
Pasadena, CA $5,100

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,786 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $6,609 in Pasadena, CA.

Colorado Springs, CO $5,786
Pasadena, CA $6,609

Living in Colorado Springs, CO costs roughly 24% less than in Pasadena, CA.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colorado Springs, CO 100% above, Pasadena, CA 164% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$18.03 $18.03

12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.4 $85.4

$76.4 $76.4

11.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 $12.77

$9.91 $9.91

28.86%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$4.81 $4.81

14.14%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.78 $2.78

-5.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.58 $1.58

43.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.94 $4.94

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$5.87 $5.87

20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.34 $1.34

-28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.87 $3.87

-14.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.81 $2.81

54.09%

Eggs

$5.95 $5.95

$5.20 $5.20

14.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.64 $14.64

$13.81 $13.81

6.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$13.48 $13.48

-0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 $19.57

$12.44 $12.44

57.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.72 $4.72

18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.25 $2.25

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.37 $4.37

0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.01 $6.01

-20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.50 $4.50

-44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.40 $2.40

8.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.86 $1.86

24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.15 $2.15

-7.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$11.92 $11.92

-12.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.36 $19.36

$10.89 $10.89

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.65 $1.65

101.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.81 $1.81

161.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.72 $1.72

4.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$51.0 $51.0

23.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.41 $3.41

6.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.89 $1.89

-24.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.70 $24.70

$24.30 $24.30

1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.59 $1.59

-34.59%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$27.7K $27.7K

2.24%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.66%

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

$200 $200

$249 $249

-19.86%

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

$95.6 $95.6

$59.5 $59.5

60.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 $103

$65.9 $65.9

56.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.11 $44.11

$25.12 $25.12

75.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 $33.69

$34.52 $34.52

-2.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$12.12 $12.12

21.37%

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

$1,558 $1,558

$3,909 $3,909

-60.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$14.7K $14.7K

65.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 $58.5

$31.13 $31.13

88.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.64 $34.64

$34.65 $34.65

-0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 $80.8

$70.8 $70.8

14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$141 $141

-28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$3,070 $3,070

-44.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$2,285 $2,285

-44.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 $2,874

$4,691 $4,691

-38.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,573 $2,573

$3,729 $3,729

-31.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,798 $2,798

$8,964 $8,964

-68.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,283 $2,283

$9,058 $9,058

-74.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,387 $4,387

$5,466 $5,466

-19.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.33

6.16%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 25, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.3K 46.8%

Pasadena, CA

$2.3K 63.6% 79.4% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Colorado Springs, CO

$442 16.2%

Pasadena, CA

$400 11.2% 9.4% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 14.6%

Pasadena, CA

$375 10.4% 5.9% $23

Eating Out

Colorado Springs, CO

$329 12.1%

Pasadena, CA

$286 8% 13.3% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Colorado Springs, CO

$124 4.5%

Pasadena, CA

$125 3.5% 1.1% $1.4

Getting Around

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 3%

Pasadena, CA

$71 2% 12.7% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Colorado Springs, CO

$74 2.7%

Pasadena, CA

$49 1.4% 32.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO and $3,070 in Pasadena, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasadena, CA pays 25% 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: $85 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $76 in Pasadena, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $400 per month, with Pasadena, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

15:28 3:28 PM

1 h behind Colorado Springs, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

478,961

137,122

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Colorado Springs, CO Pasadena, CA 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Colorado Springs, CO
Pasadena, 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

Colorado Springs, CO vs Pasadena, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO and $3,590 in Pasadena, CA, so Colorado Springs, CO is about 24% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Colorado Springs, CO. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,070 in Pasadena, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pasadena, CA pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasadena, CA – a meal for two runs $76 versus $85 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Colorado Springs, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Colorado Springs, CO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasadena, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Colorado Springs, CO wins on affordability, Pasadena, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.