Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Reno?

They are about even — the overall cost of living in the Colorado Springs and Reno metros is within 3% of each other (BEA Regional Price Parities), so neither is meaningfully cheaper.

Which has higher household income, Colorado Springs or Reno?

Household incomes are similar — $90,760 in the Colorado Springs metro versus $89,159 in Reno (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Does a paycheck go further in Colorado Springs or Reno?

It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($90,123 versus $88,264).

Which has cheaper rent, Colorado Springs or Reno?

Reno has cheaper rent — a median of $1,680/mo versus $1,761/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Colorado Springs vs Reno

Metro-area medians — Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area vs Reno, NV Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Colorado Springs comes out ahead, winning 4 of the 5 clearly-decided measures.

Colorado Springs and Reno are closely matched on both cost of living and household income. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

Their widest everyday difference: Colorado Springs is more educated — 42.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree versus 34.9%.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Annual salary (gross)

Household size

Colorado Springs, CO

$58,707

take-home / yr · 22% to tax

$58,294

real value after local prices

Reno, NV

$61,314

take-home / yr · 18% to tax

$60,698

real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, Reno leaves you about $2,404/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure

Colorado Springs

Reno

Livability (CityLedger)

63/100

57/100

Cost of living (price level, US = 100)

100.7

101.0

Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)

$90,123

$88,264

Median household income

$90,760

$89,159

Median rent

$1,761/mo

$1,680/mo

Median home value

$487,900

$535,700

Unemployment

5.1%

5.6%

Bachelor's degree or higher

42.8%

34.9%

Average commute

24.8 min

25.1 min

Air quality (median AQI)

Avg temperature

50°F

55°F

Choose Colorado Springs for

+ Livability (CityLedger)
+ Median home value
+ Unemployment
+ Bachelor's degree or higher

Full Colorado Springs profile →

Choose Reno for

+ Median rent

Full Reno profile →

More comparisons

Metros closest to Colorado Springs and Reno on cost, income, size, and education.

Colorado Springs vs Boise City→Colorado Springs vs Salt Lake City→Colorado Springs vs Ogden→Reno vs Lancaster→Reno vs Boise City→Reno vs Ogden→

Colorado Springs vs Reno — frequently asked

Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Reno?: They are about even — the overall cost of living in the Colorado Springs and Reno metros is within 3% of each other (BEA Regional Price Parities), so neither is meaningfully cheaper.
Which has higher household income, Colorado Springs or Reno?: Household incomes are similar — $90,760 in the Colorado Springs metro versus $89,159 in Reno (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).
Does a paycheck go further in Colorado Springs or Reno?: It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($90,123 versus $88,264).
Which has cheaper rent, Colorado Springs or Reno?: Reno has cheaper rent — a median of $1,680/mo versus $1,761/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).