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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,247 in Herndon, VA versus $3,136 in Denver, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,827 in Herndon, VA versus $4,678 in Denver, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,407 in Herndon, VA versus $6,221 in Denver, CO.

Living in Herndon, VA is roughly 4% more expensive than in Denver, CO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Herndon, VA 135% above, Denver, CO 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.90 $23.90

$19.86 $19.86

20.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$88.9 $88.9

13.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$11.91 $11.91

-6.47%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$6.05 $6.05

-1.65%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$2.87 $2.87

3.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.19 $2.19

14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$6.90 $6.90

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.02 $9.02

$8.11 $8.11

11.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.12 $1.12

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.16 $5.16

-19.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$7.09 $7.09

-25.53%

Eggs

$5.01 $5.01

$5.22 $5.22

-4.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$16.23 $16.23

4.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$17.01 $17.01

-6.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 $18.97

$17.88 $17.88

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.05 $5.05

13.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.08 $2.08

-9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.79 $4.79

-0.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$5.13 $5.13

11.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.58 $2.58

12.02%

Onion (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.73 $2.73

43.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.25 $2.25

1.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.55 $2.55

0.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.73 $10.73

$10.46 $10.46

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$19.86 $19.86

-20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.66 $2.66

5.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.62 $3.62

-19.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.82 $2.82

-12.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.33 $30.33

$88.1 $88.1

-65.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.55 $3.55

9.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.74 $1.74

-29.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.78 $24.78

$30.17 $30.17

-17.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.02 $1.02

-6.86%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.8K $34.8K

0.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$24.8K $24.8K

7.37%

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

$165 $165

$163 $163

1.34%

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

$81.9 $81.9

$76.2 $76.2

7.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 $70.3

$69.3 $69.3

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 $55.0

$58.8 $58.8

-6.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$25.03 $25.03

-60.29%

Cinema Ticket

$16.34 $16.34

$14.88 $14.88

9.81%

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

$1,605 $1,605

$2,434 $2,434

-34.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$33.3K $33.3K

9.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 $65.8

$70.2 $70.2

-6.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 $44.55

$45.96 $45.96

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$108 $108

-3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$130 $130

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,139 $2,139

$1,994 $1,994

7.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,708 $1,708

3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,317 $3,317

$3,193 $3,193

3.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,090 $3,090

$2,718 $2,718

13.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,590 $5,590

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,731 $3,731

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,538 $5,538

$4,270 $4,270

29.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

6.45

-3.41%

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

Last update for Herndon, VA: September 8, 2026

Last update for Denver, CO: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,139 in Herndon, VA and $1,994 in Denver, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Herndon, VA pays 30% 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: $101 in Herndon, VA vs $89.0 in Denver, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $478 vs $495, with Herndon, VA 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

Herndon, VA vs Denver, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Average pay runs 30% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,139 in Herndon, VA versus $1,994 in Denver, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Herndon, VA pay roughly 4% 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 $89.0 versus $101 in Herndon, VA. 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 $3,136 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Denver, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Herndon, VA and Denver, CO 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 4% less than in Herndon, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.