Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Denver, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Denver, CO: $3,151 a month against $3,665 in Puyallup, WA, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Puyallup, WA, United States
Denver, CO, United States
Puyallup, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,665
/mo nomad
Denver, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,151
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puyallup, WA 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 Puyallup, WA and in Denver, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,665 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,151 in Denver, CO.

  • Puyallup, WA $3,665
  • Denver, CO $3,151

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,096 in Puyallup, WA versus $4,582 in Denver, CO.

  • Puyallup, WA $5,096
  • Denver, CO $4,582

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,528 in Puyallup, WA versus $6,013 in Denver, CO.

  • Puyallup, WA $6,528
  • Denver, CO $6,013

Living in Puyallup, WA is roughly 16% more expensive than in Denver, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 169% above, Denver, CO 132% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.12 $25.12
$19.86 $19.86
26.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.0 $80.0
$84.7 $84.7
-5.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.06 $15.06
$11.95 $11.95
26.03%
Cappuccino
$6.67 $6.67
$6.13 $6.13
8.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15 $3.15
$2.94 $2.94
7.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.30 $2.30
35.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.14 $8.14
$7.10 $7.10
14.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.17 $8.17
$7.83 $7.83
4.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.12 $1.12
-0.89%
White Bread (500g)
$4.65 $4.65
$5.58 $5.58
-16.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.16 $6.16
$7.33 $7.33
-15.96%
Eggs
$5.50 $5.50
$5.11 $5.11
7.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.00 $18.00
$16.37 $16.37
9.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.79 $16.79
$17.22 $17.22
-2.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.08 $23.08
$18.55 $18.55
24.42%
Apples (1kg)
$6.22 $6.22
$5.21 $5.21
19.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 $1.88
$2.10 $2.10
-10.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.28 $5.28
$4.92 $4.92
7.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.57 $6.57
$5.30 $5.30
23.96%
Potato (1kg)
$3.59 $3.59
$2.66 $2.66
34.96%
Onion (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$2.82 $2.82
17.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.70 $2.70
$2.38 $2.38
13.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$2.43 $2.43
7.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.32 $12.32
$10.76 $10.76
14.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.64 $17.64
$18.72 $18.72
-5.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 $1.68
$2.71 $2.71
-38.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.87 $4.87
$3.58 $3.58
36.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.80 $4.80
$2.80 $2.80
71.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$174 $174
$88.3 $88.3
97.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$3.55 $3.55
-29.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.79 $1.79
-8.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.06 $30.06
$29.56 $29.56
1.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 $1.35
$1.06 $1.06
27.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K $33.1K
$30.0K $30.0K
10.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$26.4K $26.4K
1.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$277 $277
$166 $166
66.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$90.3 $90.3
$75.5 $75.5
19.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.7 $85.7
$69.2 $69.2
23.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.4 $71.4
$58.2 $58.2
22.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.12 $20.12
$25.43 $25.43
-20.88%
Cinema Ticket
$17.65 $17.65
$15.02 $15.02
17.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,781 $2,781
$2,293 $2,293
21.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.3K $31.3K
$33.6K $33.6K
-6.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.6 $61.6
$70.9 $70.9
-13.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.99 $44.99
$45.11 $45.11
-0.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 $124
$104 $104
19.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 $162
$134 $134
20.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,845 $1,845
$1,972 $1,972
-6.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,796 $1,796
$1,637 $1,637
9.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,720 $2,720
$3,367 $3,367
-19.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,518 $2,518
$2,592 $2,592
-2.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$5,506 $5,506
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,491 $3,491
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puyallup, WA
Denver, CO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,740 $6,740
$4,947 $4,947
36.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.68
6.9
-3.19%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Denver, CO: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puyallup, WA
$1.8K
Denver, CO
$1.6K 8.8% $158
Groceries & Markets
Puyallup, WA
$521
Denver, CO
$503 3.4% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puyallup, WA
$453
Denver, CO
$311 31.3% $142
Eating Out
Puyallup, WA
$408
Denver, CO
$340 16.6% $68
Getting Around
Puyallup, WA
$204
Denver, CO
$112 45.1% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Puyallup, WA
$177
Denver, CO
$159 9.9% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Puyallup, WA
$107
Denver, CO
$88 17.3% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Puyallup, WA and $1,972 in Denver, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 36% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Puyallup, WA vs $85 in Denver, CO. Groceries flip the comparison at $521 vs $503, with Denver, CO cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Puyallup, WA
🇺🇸 Denver, CO
🕒 Local time
10:33 10:33 AM
11:33 11:33 AM
1 h ahead of Puyallup, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
42,973
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 = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puyallup, WA Denver, CO 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Puyallup, WA
  • 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
Puyallup, WA vs Denver, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Puyallup, WA or Denver, CO?
Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Puyallup, WA. 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 Puyallup, WA or in Denver, CO?
Average pay runs 36% higher in Puyallup, WA, 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 Puyallup, WA compared to Denver, CO?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,845 in Puyallup, WA 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 Puyallup, WA or in Denver, CO?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Puyallup, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Puyallup, WA and in Denver, CO?
Dining out is cheaper in Puyallup, WA – a meal for two runs $80 versus $85 in Denver, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Puyallup, WA 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: Puyallup, WA 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 Puyallup, WA or to Denver, CO?
It comes down to priorities – Denver, CO wins on affordability, Puyallup, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Puyallup, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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