Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Salinas, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Salinas, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,131 in Denver, CO versus $3,786 in Salinas, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,674 in Denver, CO versus $5,497 in Salinas, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,218 in Denver, CO versus $7,209 in Salinas, CA.

Living in Denver, CO costs roughly 17% less than in Salinas, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 134% above, Salinas, CA 183% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$29.69 $29.69

-31.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 $86.4

$90.5 $90.5

-4.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$12.24 $12.24

-1.47%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$4.80 $4.80

15.21%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$2.56 $2.56

13.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.14 $2.14

6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.39 $7.39

$8.15 $8.15

-9.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.78 $7.78

3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.42 $1.42

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 $4.23

$3.53 $3.53

19.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$6.17 $6.17

-6.00%

Eggs

$5.64 $5.64

$5.59 $5.59

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$20.55 $20.55

-30.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$13.15 $13.15

0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.44 $17.44

$16.57 $16.57

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.92 $5.92

-5.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.16 $2.16

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.50 $3.50

46.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$6.29 $6.29

-13.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.53 $4.53

-37.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.39 $3.39

-23.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.10 $2.10

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.83 $1.83

19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.22 $10.22

$11.06 $11.06

-7.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.32 $20.32

$10.08 $10.08

101.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.76 $1.76

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$5.34 $5.34

-31.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.06 $2.06

42.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 $89.1

$70.0 $70.0

27.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.40 $3.40

5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.89 $1.89

-6.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.22 $24.22

$40.21 $40.21

-39.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.29 $1.29

-35.66%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$24.1K $24.1K

30.74%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

5.84%

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

$179 $179

$279 $279

-35.73%

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

$72.5 $72.5

$53.8 $53.8

34.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 $68.1

$71.6 $71.6

-4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 $62.2

$40.38 $40.38

54.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.02 $37.02

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$14.67 $14.67

1.64%

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

$1,521 $1,521

$1,985 $1,985

-23.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$37.6K $37.6K

-57.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$55.1 $55.1

9.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.67 $45.67

$37.25 $37.25

22.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$94.4 $94.4

5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$124 $124

-2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 $2,128

$2,209 $2,209

-3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 $1,687

$2,134 $2,134

-20.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,616 $3,616

$4,244 $4,244

-14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,976 $2,976

$3,770 $3,770

-21.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,458 $5,458

$6,150 $6,150

-11.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,735 $3,735

$7,407 $7,407

-49.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,571 $4,571

$4,550 $4,550

0.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.41

-0.62%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: April 22, 2026

Last update for Salinas, CA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,128 in Denver, CO and $2,209 in Salinas, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denver, CO pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $86 in Denver, CO vs $90 in Salinas, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $455 vs $452, with Salinas, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Denver, CO vs Salinas, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Salinas, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Denver, CO pays 0% more on average, 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: $2,128 in Denver, CO versus $2,209 in Salinas, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Salinas, CA pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $90.0 in Salinas, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Denver, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Denver, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,131 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Denver, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denver, CO and Salinas, CA 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 Denver, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Salinas, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.