Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Santa Rosa, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Santa Rosa, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,152 in Denver, CO versus $3,361 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,688 in Denver, CO versus $5,005 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Denver, CO versus $6,649 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Living in Denver, CO costs roughly 6% less than in Santa Rosa, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 135% above, Santa Rosa, CA 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 $20.15

$22.61 $22.61

-10.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 $86.4

$81.0 $81.0

6.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$11.81 $11.81

2.29%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$4.92 $4.92

7.72%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.99 $2.99

-0.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.90 $2.90

-22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.22 $7.22

$7.48 $7.48

-3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$8.40 $8.40

-3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.16 $1.16

-11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.85 $4.85

-15.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$4.41 $4.41

29.25%

Eggs

$5.55 $5.55

$5.45 $5.45

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$16.30 $16.30

-12.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$11.16 $11.16

19.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.08 $17.08

$20.02 $20.02

-14.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$7.74 $7.74

-27.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.90 $2.90

-34.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$7.97 $7.97

-35.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$8.43 $8.43

-37.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.92 $3.92

-28.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.95 $3.95

-34.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.04 $3.04

-33.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.02 $2.02

8.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$11.85 $11.85

-12.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.94 $19.94

$11.91 $11.91

67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.81 $1.81

32.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.66 $2.66

40.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.80 $2.80

1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.3 $86.3

$29.41 $29.41

193.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.12 $4.12

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.95 $1.95

-11.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.63 $23.63

$28.83 $28.83

-18.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.29 $1.29

-31.01%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$34.1K $34.1K

-8.60%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$27.8K $27.8K

-0.61%

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

$176 $176

$248 $248

-29.05%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$50.1 $50.1

43.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$75.2 $75.2

-10.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$64.2 $64.2

-0.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.21 $38.21

$14.80 $14.80

158.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$13.95 $13.95

9.53%

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

$1,561 $1,561

$1,878 $1,878

-16.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$39.4K $39.4K

-58.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 $59.8

$57.6 $57.6

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 $46.46

$42.66 $42.66

8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 $96.9

$111 $111

-12.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$127 $127

-7.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,165 $2,165

$2,257 $2,257

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$1,863 $1,863

-7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,567 $3,567

$3,715 $3,715

-3.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,955 $2,955

$3,147 $3,147

-6.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,626 $5,626

$4,611 $4,611

22.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,773 $3,773

$4,730 $4,730

-20.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,401 $4,401

$4,613 $4,613

-4.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.52

-2.30%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa, CA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,165 in Denver, CO and $2,257 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rosa, CA 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 Denver, CO vs $81.0 in Santa Rosa, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $451 vs $489, with Denver, CO 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 Santa Rosa, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Santa Rosa, CA earns 5% less. 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: $2,165 in Denver, CO versus $2,257 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Santa Rosa, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $81.0 in Santa Rosa, 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 $3,152 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 Santa Rosa, 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 7% less than in Santa Rosa, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.