Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmdale, CA and Centennial, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmdale, CA and Centennial, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,782 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $3,051 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,146 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $4,316 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,510 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $5,582 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

Palmdale, CA is about 9% cheaper than Centennial, CO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Palmdale, CA and Centennial, CO sit above the global median – Palmdale, CA by 108%, Centennial, CO by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.45 $25.45

$20.04 $20.04

27.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$93.8 $93.8

-21.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 $10.10

$13.09 $13.09

-22.84%

Cappuccino

$5.64 $5.64

$5.85 $5.85

-3.59%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.97 $2.97

-10.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.01 $2.01

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$8.04 $8.04

-1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$12.16 $12.16

-55.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.14 $1.14

7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.77 $2.77

56.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.32 $4.32

0.93%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$6.60 $6.60

-32.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$12.38 $12.38

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 $11.53

$6.06 $6.06

90.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$18.79 $18.79

-22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.06 $3.06

96.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.09 $1.09

33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.26 $3.26

15.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.89 $2.89

40.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.50 $1.50

101.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.92 $1.92

51.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.51 $2.51

-20.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.96 $1.96

3.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 $10.57

$10.89 $10.89

-2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$17.97 $17.97

-34.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.83 $1.83

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.30 $3.30

-25.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.29 $3.29

$8.04 $8.04

-59.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 $50.4

$88.2 $88.2

-42.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.49 $3.49

17.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.58 $1.58

32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.5 $53.5

$29.07 $29.07

84.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.92 $0.92

38.04%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$45.6K $45.6K

-37.60%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$22.5K $22.5K

11.00%

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

$198 $198

$238 $238

-16.93%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$34.78 $34.78

57.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$74.0 $74.0

-0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.11 $33.11

$49.66 $49.66

-33.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.2 $76.2

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 $13.83

$17.14 $17.14

-19.31%

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

$399 $399

$1,260 $1,260

-68.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,800 $7,800

$19.6K $19.6K

-60.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 $59.2

$53.2 $53.2

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.33 $41.33

$32.68 $32.68

26.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 $78.2

$93.2 $93.2

-16.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$83.8 $83.8

41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$1,828 $1,828

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 $1,406

$1,663 $1,663

-15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,200 $3,200

$3,160 $3,160

1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,509 $2,509

$2,493 $2,493

0.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,964 $3,964

$3,159 $3,159

25.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,439 $3,439

$2,798 $2,798

22.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,602 $3,602

$6,860 $6,860

-47.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.25

27.05%

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

Last update for Palmdale, CA: April 19, 2026

Last update for Centennial, CO: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,685 in Palmdale, CA versus $1,828 in Centennial, 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 90% higher in Centennial, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Palmdale, CA versus $94 in Centennial, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $388 in Palmdale, CA vs $349 in Centennial, CO – so Centennial, CO wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Palmdale, CA vs Centennial, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,782 in Palmdale, CA, $3,051 in Centennial, CO – roughly 10% apart. Centennial, CO costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,172 per month in Palmdale, CA and $4,576 in Centennial, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palmdale, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Palmdale, CA and $94.0 in Centennial, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,782 in Palmdale, CA and $3,051 in Centennial, CO. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,782 in Palmdale, CA and $3,051 in Centennial, CO. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Palmdale, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palmdale, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Centennial, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.