Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Herndon, VA and Denver, CO

For one person, living costs are similar in Herndon, VA and in Denver, CO: $3,296 and $3,151 a month, rent and utilities included.

Herndon, VA, United States
Denver, CO, United States
Herndon, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,296
/mo nomad
Denver, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,151
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Herndon, VA and in Denver, CO

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,296 in Herndon, VA versus $3,151 in Denver, CO.

  • Herndon, VA $3,296
  • Denver, CO $3,151

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,928 in Herndon, VA versus $4,582 in Denver, CO.

  • Herndon, VA $4,928
  • Denver, CO $4,582

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,559 in Herndon, VA versus $6,013 in Denver, CO.

  • Herndon, VA $6,559
  • Denver, CO $6,013

Living in Herndon, VA is roughly 5% more expensive than in Denver, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Herndon, VA 142% above, Denver, CO 132% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.06 $24.06
$19.86 $19.86
21.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.7 $98.7
$84.7 $84.7
16.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 $11.06
$11.95 $11.95
-7.45%
Cappuccino
$5.78 $5.78
$6.13 $6.13
-5.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$2.94 $2.94
2.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$2.30 $2.30
9.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.85 $7.85
$7.10 $7.10
10.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.92 $8.92
$7.83 $7.83
13.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.12 $1.12
8.04%
White Bread (500g)
$4.18 $4.18
$5.58 $5.58
-25.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$7.33 $7.33
-27.69%
Eggs
$5.17 $5.17
$5.11 $5.11
1.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.93 $16.93
$16.37 $16.37
3.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.90 $15.90
$17.22 $17.22
-7.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.78 $18.78
$18.55 $18.55
1.24%
Apples (1kg)
$5.65 $5.65
$5.21 $5.21
8.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 $1.89
$2.10 $2.10
-10.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 $4.74
$4.92 $4.92
-3.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.65 $5.65
$5.30 $5.30
6.60%
Potato (1kg)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.66 $2.66
4.89%
Onion (1kg)
$3.84 $3.84
$2.82 $2.82
36.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.38 $2.38
$2.38 $2.38
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.43 $2.43
6.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.62 $9.62
$10.76 $10.76
-10.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.30 $16.30
$18.72 $18.72
-12.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.71 $2.71
1.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$3.58 $3.58
-22.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.46 $2.46
$2.80 $2.80
-12.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.55 $30.55
$88.3 $88.3
-65.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.02 $4.02
$3.55 $3.55
13.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.79 $1.79
-29.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.39 $25.39
$29.56 $29.56
-14.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.06 $1.06
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.5K $32.5K
$30.0K $30.0K
8.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$26.4K $26.4K
-1.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 $164
$166 $166
-1.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$82.4 $82.4
$75.5 $75.5
9.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$69.2 $69.2
1.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.6 $55.6
$58.2 $58.2
-4.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.08 $10.08
$25.43 $25.43
-60.36%
Cinema Ticket
$16.38 $16.38
$15.02 $15.02
9.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,888 $1,888
$2,293 $2,293
-17.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.4K $36.4K
$33.6K $33.6K
8.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.4 $65.4
$70.9 $70.9
-7.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 $43.45
$45.11 $45.11
-3.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 $106
$104 $104
2.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 $125
$134 $134
-6.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,135 $2,135
$1,972 $1,972
8.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,836 $1,836
$1,637 $1,637
12.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,370 $3,370
$3,367 $3,367
0.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,179 $3,179
$2,592 $2,592
22.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,506 $5,506
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,491 $3,491
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Herndon, VA
Denver, CO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,520 $5,520
$4,947 $4,947
11.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
6.9
-3.91%

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

Last update for Herndon, VA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Denver, CO: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Herndon, VA
$1.8K
Denver, CO
$1.6K 10.8% $199
Groceries & Markets
Herndon, VA
$478
Denver, CO
$503 5.2% $25
Eating Out
Herndon, VA
$374
Denver, CO
$340 9% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Herndon, VA
$316
Denver, CO
$311 1.6% $5.2
Clothing & Footwear
Herndon, VA
$153
Denver, CO
$159 4% $6.1
Sport & Entertainment
Herndon, VA
$88
Denver, CO
$88 0.1% $0.1
Getting Around
Herndon, VA
$51
Denver, CO
$112 121% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,135 in Herndon, VA and $1,972 in Denver, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Herndon, VA pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99 in Herndon, VA vs $85 in Denver, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $478 vs $503, with Herndon, VA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Herndon, VA
🇺🇸 Denver, CO
🕒 Local time
10:04 10:04 AM
08:04 8:04 AM
2 h behind Herndon, VA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,655
715,522
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Herndon, VA Denver, CO 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Herndon, VA
  • Denver, 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
Herndon, VA vs Denver, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Herndon, VA or Denver, CO?
Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Herndon, VA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Herndon, VA or in Denver, CO?
Average pay runs 12% higher in Herndon, VA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Herndon, VA compared to Denver, CO?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,135 in Herndon, VA versus $1,972 in Denver, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Herndon, VA or in Denver, CO?
Shoppers in Herndon, VA pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Herndon, VA and in Denver, CO?
Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $85 versus $99 in Herndon, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Herndon, VA or in Denver, CO?
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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Herndon, VA or Denver, CO?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Should I move to Herndon, VA or to Denver, CO?
It comes down to priorities – Denver, CO wins on affordability, Herndon, VA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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