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 $2,714 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $3,219 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,148 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $4,463 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,583 per month in Palmdale, CA vs $5,707 in Centennial, CO, rent included.

Palmdale, CA is about 16% cheaper than Centennial, CO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Palmdale, CA and Centennial, CO sit above the global median – Palmdale, CA by 98%, Centennial, CO by 134%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$20.10 $20.10

26.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$91.1 $91.1

-16.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.77 $14.77

$11.68 $11.68

26.46%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$6.29 $6.29

-15.42%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.75 $2.75

23.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.17 $2.17

-23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.03 $7.03

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$7.95 $7.95

-10.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.15 $1.15

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 $4.33

$4.67 $4.67

-7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$6.72 $6.72

-29.46%

Eggs

$4.99 $4.99

$5.20 $5.20

-4.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 $13.91

$13.19 $13.19

5.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.17 $13.17

$13.14 $13.14

0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.35 $15.35

$20.52 $20.52

-25.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$5.24 $5.24

-10.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.09 $2.09

-23.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.76 $4.76

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$5.22 $5.22

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.56 $3.56

-32.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.88 $2.88

-12.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.26 $2.26

-18.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.90 $1.90

6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$10.62 $10.62

-4.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$19.39 $19.39

-37.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.56 $2.56

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.74 $2.74

-5.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.47 $5.47

-44.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$88.2 $88.2

-42.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.53 $3.53

-13.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.71 $1.71

18.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.64 $27.64

$19.78 $19.78

39.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$34.7K $34.7K

-18.10%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

0.85%

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

$198 $198

$209 $209

-5.54%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$61.5 $61.5

-13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$69.8 $69.8

5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.92 $32.92

$62.9 $62.9

-47.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.5 $75.5

$20.06 $20.06

276.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.12 $14.12

$15.07 $15.07

-6.30%

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

$405 $405

$1,319 $1,319

-69.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,952 $7,952

$20.1K $20.1K

-60.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$60.1 $60.1

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 $42.30

$45.10 $45.10

-6.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$104 $104

-16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$134 $134

-15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 $1,630

$1,820 $1,820

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 $1,345

$1,629 $1,629

-17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,002 $3,002

$2,896 $2,896

3.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,545 $2,545

$2,237 $2,237

13.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 $3,921

$3,202 $3,202

22.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,368 $3,368

$2,899 $2,899

16.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,653 $3,653

$6,706 $6,706

-45.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.08

7.24%

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

Last update for Palmdale, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Centennial, CO: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in Palmdale, CA versus $1,820 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 84% 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 $76.0 in Palmdale, CA versus $91.0 in Centennial, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $462 – making Palmdale, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $2,714 in Palmdale, CA, $3,219 in Centennial, CO – roughly 19% apart. Centennial, CO costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,071 per month in Palmdale, CA and $4,829 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 $76.0 in Palmdale, CA and $91.0 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 $2,714 in Palmdale, CA and $3,219 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 $2,714 in Palmdale, CA and $3,219 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.