Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Boulder, CO: $3,303 a month against $3,978 in Fairfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

190

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CA
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Fairfield, CA Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Fairfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,978

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,303

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairfield, CA and in Boulder, CO

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

A single person spends $3,978 per month in Fairfield, CA vs $3,303 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Fairfield, CA $3,978
Boulder, CO $3,303

A couple spends around $5,242 per month in Fairfield, CA vs $4,905 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Fairfield, CA $5,242
Boulder, CO $4,905

A family of three spends $6,507 per month in Fairfield, CA vs $6,508 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Fairfield, CA $6,507
Boulder, CO $6,508

Fairfield, CA costs about 20% more than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Fairfield, CA and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Fairfield, CA by 194%, Boulder, CO by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 $21.62

$20.17 $20.17

7.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$79.1 $79.1

12.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.01 $12.01

$14.98 $14.98

-19.83%

Cappuccino

$6.94 $6.94

$5.74 $5.74

20.91%

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

$3.49 $3.49

$3.53 $3.53

-1.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.93 $2.93

-31.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$6.87 $6.87

16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$7.91 $7.91

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.23 $1.23

14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.50 $5.50

-19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$6.70 $6.70

-30.15%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$5.48 $5.48

1.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$11.77 $11.77

19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$11.23 $11.23

35.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.77 $17.77

$17.36 $17.36

2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$5.81 $5.81

5.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.44 $1.44

79.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$6.08 $6.08

4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.60 $6.60

$6.06 $6.06

8.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.08 $4.08

-4.66%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.70 $3.70

-4.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.48 $3.48

-33.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.76 $2.76

-25.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$10.26 $10.26

15.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 $10.18

$17.09 $17.09

-40.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.91 $1.91

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$4.94 $4.94

-57.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.78 $2.78

-29.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 $87.1

$86.9 $86.9

0.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.47 $2.47

19.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.41 $1.41

38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.14 $29.14

$24.02 $24.02

21.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.07 $1.07

33.64%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$28.5K $28.5K

-1.13%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.47%

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

$193 $193

$229 $229

-15.93%

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

$48.25 $48.25

$71.5 $71.5

-32.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$74.4 $74.4

-2.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$75.5 $75.5

65.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.7 $73.7

$19.92 $19.92

270.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 $14.61

$18.82 $18.82

-22.37%

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

$1,293 $1,293

$1,927 $1,927

-32.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-31.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$68.0 $68.0

-24.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.08 $37.08

$49.54 $49.54

-25.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$93.1 $93.1

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$141 $141

-20.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,396 $2,396

$2,181 $2,181

9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,432 $2,432

$1,726 $1,726

40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 $3,100

$3,833 $3,833

-19.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,967 $2,967

$3,071 $3,071

-3.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,719 $3,719

$6,157 $6,157

-39.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,665 $3,665

$4,617 $4,617

-20.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,749 $4,749

$5,513 $5,513

-13.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

6.67

-2.85%

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

Last update for Fairfield, CA: November 1, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairfield, CA

$2.4K 61.1%

Boulder, CO

$1.7K 52.3% 29% $706

Groceries & Markets

Fairfield, CA

$463 11.7%

Boulder, CO

$472 14.3% 1.9% $9

Eating Out

Fairfield, CA

$369 9.3%

Boulder, CO

$351 10.6% 4.7% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfield, CA

$314 7.9%

Boulder, CO

$375 11.4% 19.5% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfield, CA

$155 3.9%

Boulder, CO

$113 3.4% 26.8% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfield, CA

$138 3.5%

Boulder, CO

$158 4.8% 14.5% $20

Getting Around

Fairfield, CA

$108 2.7%

Boulder, CO

$108 3.3% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,396 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,181 in Boulder, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Boulder, CO, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Fairfield, CA versus $79 in Boulder, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $463 in Fairfield, CA vs $472 in Boulder, CO – so Fairfield, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CA

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

13:08 1:08 PM

14:08 2:08 PM

1 h ahead of Fairfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,133

106,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Fairfield, CA Boulder, CO 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Fairfield, CA
Boulder, CO

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

Fairfield, CA vs Boulder, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairfield, CA is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,966 per month in Fairfield, CA and $4,955 in Boulder, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,396 in Fairfield, CA and $2,181 in Boulder, CO. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Fairfield, CA and $79 in Boulder, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,293 per month in Fairfield, CA and $1,927 in Boulder, CO. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,978 in Fairfield, CA and $3,303 in Boulder, CO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Boulder, CO has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,303 in Boulder, CO to $3,978 in Fairfield, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.