Colorado Springs vs Fort Collins
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Colorado Springs
Fort Collins
The Verdict
Colorado Springs is 9.5% less expensive than Fort Collins overall. A household earning $75,000 in Colorado Springs would need approximately $82,857 in Fort Collins to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Colorado Springs has the same purchasing power as $82,857 in Fort Collins.
Conversely, $75,000 in Fort Collins equals $67,888 in Colorado Springs.
Living in Colorado Springs vs Fort Collins
Housing Costs
Colorado Springs's housing index of 115 is lower Fort Collins's 142, translating to median home prices of $380,000 vs $531,000. The $151,000 difference in home prices means roughly $9,816 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,500/mo in Colorado Springs compared to $1,625/mo in Fort Collins, a monthly difference of $125.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 100 in Colorado Springs and 100 in Fort Collins. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $475/month in Colorado Springs vs $475/month in Fort Collins. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 93 in Colorado Springs and 87 in Fort Collins. Monthly utility bills average approximately $372 in Colorado Springs vs $348 in Fort Collins. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 104 in Colorado Springs and 97 in Fort Collins. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $64,712 in Colorado Springs and $74,800 in Fort Collins. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $61,630 and $64,483 respectively. Fort Collins residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,510/month to housing in Colorado Springs vs $1,745/month in Fort Collins. In Colorado Springs, median rent of $1,500/mo fits within this budget. In Fort Collins, median rent of $1,625/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 27 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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