Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasadena, CA and Colorado Springs, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Colorado Springs, CO: $2,721 a month against $3,590 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pasadena, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

173

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Colorado Springs, CO
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Colorado Springs, CO Living Index

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Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,590

/mo nomad

Colorado Springs, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pasadena, CA and in Colorado Springs, CO

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,590 in Pasadena, CA versus $2,721 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Pasadena, CA $3,590
Colorado Springs, CO $2,721

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,100 in Pasadena, CA versus $4,253 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Pasadena, CA $5,100
Colorado Springs, CO $4,253

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,609 in Pasadena, CA versus $5,786 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Pasadena, CA $6,609
Colorado Springs, CO $5,786

Living in Pasadena, CA is roughly 32% more expensive than in Colorado Springs, CO.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pasadena, CA 164% above, Colorado Springs, CO 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 $18.03

$20.23 $20.23

-10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$85.4 $85.4

-10.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$12.77 $12.77

-22.40%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$5.49 $5.49

-12.39%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$2.63 $2.63

5.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.27 $2.27

-30.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$5.90 $5.90

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$7.09 $7.09

-17.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.96 $0.96

39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.30 $3.30

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$4.33 $4.33

-35.10%

Eggs

$5.20 $5.20

$5.95 $5.95

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 $13.81

$14.64 $14.64

-5.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$13.42 $13.42

0.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$19.57 $19.57

-36.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$5.61 $5.61

-15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.37 $1.37

64.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.38 $4.38

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.77 $4.77

26.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.51 $2.51

79.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.61 $2.61

-8.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.31 $2.31

-19.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.98 $1.98

8.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$10.38 $10.38

14.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 $10.89

$19.36 $19.36

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$3.32 $3.32

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$4.73 $4.73

-61.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.79 $1.79

-3.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$63.1 $63.1

-19.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.63 $3.63

-6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.42 $1.42

33.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 $24.30

$24.70 $24.70

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.04 $1.04

52.88%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

-2.19%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.63%

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

$249 $249

$200 $200

24.78%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$95.6 $95.6

-37.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$103 $103

-35.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.12 $25.12

$44.11 $44.11

-43.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.52 $34.52

$33.69 $33.69

2.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$14.71 $14.71

-17.61%

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

$3,909 $3,909

$1,558 $1,558

150.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$24.3K $24.3K

-39.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.13 $31.13

$58.5 $58.5

-46.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 $34.65

$34.64 $34.64

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 $70.8

$80.8 $80.8

-12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$101 $101

40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,070 $3,070

$1,698 $1,698

80.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 $2,285

$1,274 $1,274

79.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,691 $4,691

$2,874 $2,874

63.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,729 $3,729

$2,573 $2,573

44.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,964 $8,964

$2,798 $2,798

220.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,058 $9,058

$2,283 $2,283

296.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,466 $5,466

$4,387 $4,387

24.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

6.72

-5.80%

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

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pasadena, CA

$2.3K 63.6%

Colorado Springs, CO

$1.3K 46.8% 44.2% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Pasadena, CA

$400 11.2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$442 16.2% 10.4% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pasadena, CA

$375 10.4%

Colorado Springs, CO

$398 14.6% 6.3% $23

Eating Out

Pasadena, CA

$286 8%

Colorado Springs, CO

$329 12.1% 15.3% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Pasadena, CA

$125 3.5%

Colorado Springs, CO

$124 4.5% 1.1% $1.4

Getting Around

Pasadena, CA

$71 2%

Colorado Springs, CO

$81 3% 14.6% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Pasadena, CA

$49 1.4%

Colorado Springs, CO

$74 2.7% 49% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,070 in Pasadena, CA and $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasadena, CA pays 25% 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: $76 in Pasadena, CA vs $85 in Colorado Springs, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $400 vs $442 per month, with Pasadena, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 Colorado Springs, CO

🕒 Local time

06:43 6:43 AM

07:43 7:43 AM

1 h ahead of Pasadena, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,122

478,961

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Pasadena, CA Colorado Springs, CO 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Pasadena, CA
Colorado Springs, 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

Pasadena, CA vs Colorado Springs, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasadena, CA and Colorado Springs, CO differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($3,590 vs $2,721 including rent). Colorado Springs, CO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Pasadena, CA, 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: $3,070 in Pasadena, CA versus $1,698 in Colorado Springs, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pasadena, CA pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasadena, CA – a meal for two runs $76 versus $85 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Colorado Springs, CO is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Colorado Springs, CO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pasadena, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Colorado Springs, CO wins on affordability, Pasadena, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.