Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Tacoma, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver, CO and Tacoma, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,124 in Denver, CO versus $3,007 in Tacoma, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,635 in Denver, CO versus $4,409 in Tacoma, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,146 in Denver, CO versus $5,811 in Tacoma, WA.

Living in Denver, CO is roughly 4% more expensive than in Tacoma, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Denver, CO 127% above, Tacoma, WA 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$24.97 $24.97

-20.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.7 $90.7

$79.9 $79.9

13.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.00 $12.00

$11.94 $11.94

0.50%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$5.68 $5.68

6.51%

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

$2.87 $2.87

$3.16 $3.16

-9.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.51 $2.51

-12.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$7.20 $7.20

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.80 $7.80

$6.95 $6.95

12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.11 $1.11

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.12 $4.12

32.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.37 $7.37

$6.00 $6.00

22.83%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$5.58 $5.58

-5.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 $16.06

$16.04 $16.04

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.13 $17.13

$22.00 $22.00

-22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 $17.58

$23.51 $23.51

-25.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.05 $5.05

-0.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.69 $1.69

23.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$4.19 $4.19

17.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.68 $4.68

10.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.69 $2.69

-4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.04 $3.04

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.78 $1.78

26.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.37 $3.37

-24.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 $10.44

$11.95 $11.95

-12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 $19.54

$18.31 $18.31

6.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.74 $1.74

58.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$4.75 $4.75

-23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.03 $2.03

32.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 $87.1

$61.1 $61.1

42.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.67 $2.67

28.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.69 $1.69

6.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$29.91 $29.91

1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.27 $1.27

-16.54%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$36.2K $36.2K

-2.09%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.8K $27.8K

-8.87%

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

$162 $162

$230 $230

-29.58%

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

$78.2 $78.2

$92.9 $92.9

-15.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$87.7 $87.7

-21.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$42.65 $42.65

35.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.94 $24.94

$18.46 $18.46

35.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$17.27 $17.27

-14.53%

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

$2,395 $2,395

$2,069 $2,069

15.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.2K $33.2K

$32.4K $32.4K

2.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 $70.5

$62.1 $62.1

13.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 $45.99

$45.09 $45.09

2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$83.7 $83.7

28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$128 $128

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 $2,001

$1,750 $1,750

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 $1,672

$1,440 $1,440

16.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,187 $3,187

$2,873 $2,873

10.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$2,373 $2,373

14.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,598 $5,598

$4,906 $4,906

14.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,758 $3,758

$3,578 $3,578

5.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,314 $4,314

$4,839 $4,839

-10.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.09

5.91%

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

Last update for Denver, CO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tacoma, WA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,001 in Denver, CO and $1,750 in Tacoma, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tacoma, WA pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $91.0 in Denver, CO vs $80.0 in Tacoma, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $499 vs $519, 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 Tacoma, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tacoma, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Denver, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tacoma, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Tacoma, WA. 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: $2,001 in Denver, CO versus $1,750 in Tacoma, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Denver, CO pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacoma, WA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $91.0 in Denver, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,007 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacoma, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Denver, CO and Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Denver, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.