{"id":150748,"date":"2026-09-22T05:15:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T12:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=150748"},"modified":"2026-09-25T05:36:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T12:36:58","slug":"phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/","title":{"rendered":"Phoenix vs. Denver cost of living comparison: Which city fits your renter budget?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.phoenix.gov\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.phoenix.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Phoenix<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denvergov.org\/Home\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.denvergov.org\/Home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Denver<\/a> both appeal to renters who want sunshine and room to spread out, but they deliver it differently. Phoenix offers warm winters, wide-open space and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/average-rent-market-trends\/us\/az\/phoenix\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/average-rent-market-trends\/us\/az\/phoenix\/\">rents that sit below the national average<\/a>. Denver offers mountain weekends, a compact downtown and a job market that keeps growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also sit at different price points. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/average-rent-market-trends\/us\/co\/denver\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/average-rent-market-trends\/us\/co\/denver\/\">average rent in Denver<\/a> is about $418 a month higher than in Phoenix, and that\u2019s just the first line in the budget. Utilities, groceries, gas and health care all move the totals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you <a href=\"http:\/\/rentcafe.com\">sign a new lease<\/a>, here&#8217;s a renter-friendly cost of living comparison of what each city really costs month to month.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"cmw-key-takeaways\">\r\n\t\t<p class=\"cmw-key-takeaways__title\"><strong>Key takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\t\t<ul class=\"cmw-key-takeaways__list\"><li>Denver's overall cost of living runs 10% above the U.S. average, while Phoenix\u2019s is 5% above.<\/li><li>Average rent is $1,492 in Phoenix and $1,910 in Denver, a gap that adds up to $5,016 a year.<\/li><li>Phoenix wins on rent but loses on energy bills, which average $245.41 a month compared to $172.42 in Denver.<\/li><\/ul>\r\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-overall-cost-of-living-comparison-phoenix-vs-denver\">Overall cost of living comparison: Phoenix vs. Denver<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phoenix costs about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/cost-of-living-calculator\/us\/az\/phoenix\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/cost-of-living-calculator\/us\/az\/phoenix\/\">5% more than the national average<\/a> and sits right at the Arizona state average. Meanwhile, Denver is about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/cost-of-living-calculator\/us\/co\/denver\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/cost-of-living-calculator\/us\/co\/denver\/\">10% above the national average<\/a> and 4% above the Colorado state average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though Denver is the pricier city, it\u2019s not by a landslide. The real story in this cost of living by city matchup shows up once you split the budget into pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison\" data-embed-id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison\" style=\"font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Oxygen,Ubuntu,sans-serif; max-width:900px; margin:2rem auto;\">\n\n  <!-- BUTTONS -->\n  <div class=\"comparison-tabs\">\n    <button type=\"button\" data-section=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-overall\" class=\"tab-btn\">Overall<\/button>\n    <button type=\"button\" data-section=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-housing\" class=\"tab-btn active-btn\">Housing &amp; Rent<\/button>\n    <button type=\"button\" data-section=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-utilities\" class=\"tab-btn\">Utilities<\/button>\n    <button type=\"button\" data-section=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-groceries\" class=\"tab-btn\">Groceries &amp; Food<\/button>\n    <button type=\"button\" data-section=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-transport\" class=\"tab-btn\">Transportation<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"cost-card\">\n    <table class=\"comparison-table\">\n      <thead>\n        <tr>\n          <th>Category<\/th>\n          <th>Phoenix, AZ<\/th>\n          <th>Denver, CO<\/th>\n        <\/tr>\n      <\/thead>\n\n      <tbody id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-overall\" class=\"tab-section\">\n        <tr><td>Overall cost vs national average<\/td><td>+5.0%<\/td><td>+10.0%<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n\n      <tbody id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-housing\" class=\"tab-section active-section\">\n        <tr><td>Average rent<\/td><td>$1,492\/mo<\/td><td>$1,910\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Studio<\/td><td>$1,053\/mo<\/td><td>$1,433\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>1-bedroom<\/td><td>$1,347\/mo<\/td><td>$1,717\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>2-bedroom<\/td><td>$1,645\/mo<\/td><td>$2,224\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>3-bedroom<\/td><td>$2,139\/mo<\/td><td>$2,881\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Average home price<\/td><td>$596,676<\/td><td>$665,372<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n\n      <tbody id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-utilities\" class=\"tab-section\">\n        <tr><td>Energy<\/td><td>$245.41\/mo<\/td><td>$172.42\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Phone<\/td><td>$190.07\/mo<\/td><td>$198.90\/mo<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n\n      <tbody id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-groceries\" class=\"tab-section\">\n        <tr><td>Milk (1 gallon)<\/td><td>$4.87<\/td><td>$4.64<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Bread (1 loaf)<\/td><td>$4.45<\/td><td>$4.37<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Eggs (1 dozen)<\/td><td>$4.51<\/td><td>$4.29<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Bananas (1 lb)<\/td><td>$0.76<\/td><td>$0.77<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Fried chicken<\/td><td>$1.48<\/td><td>$1.55<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Coffee<\/td><td>$7.41<\/td><td>$7.09<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Ground beef (1 lb)<\/td><td>$7.61<\/td><td>$8.33<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n\n      <tbody id=\"phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison-transport\" class=\"tab-section\">\n        <tr><td>Tire Balance<\/td><td>$70.48<\/td><td>$62.86<\/td><\/tr>\n        <tr><td>Gasoline (gal)<\/td><td>$3.34<\/td><td>$3.04<\/td><\/tr>\n      <\/tbody>\n    <\/table>\n\n    <div class=\"comparison-footer\">\n      <div class=\"footer-right\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"brand-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2023\/11\/RentCafe-logo-for-light-background.png?resize=500,128\" alt=\"RentCafe logo\">\n        <\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<style>\n#phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison,\n#phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison *{\n  box-sizing:border-box;\n}\n\n#phoenix-az-denver-co-cost-comparison .comparison-tabs{\n  display:flex;\n  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= true;\n\n    root.querySelectorAll('.tab-btn').forEach(function(button){\n      button.addEventListener('click', function(){\n        const sectionId = button.getAttribute('data-section');\n        showSection(sectionId, button);\n      });\n    });\n\n    const activeButton = root.querySelector('.tab-btn.active-btn') || root.querySelector('.tab-btn');\n    if(activeButton){\n      showSection(activeButton.getAttribute('data-section'), activeButton);\n    }\n\n    if('ResizeObserver' in window){\n      resizeObserver = new ResizeObserver(function(){\n        queueHeightUpdates();\n      });\n\n      resizeObserver.observe(root);\n\n      const card = root.querySelector('.cost-card');\n      if(card){\n        resizeObserver.observe(card);\n      }\n    }\n\n    if(document.fonts && document.fonts.ready){\n      document.fonts.ready.then(queueHeightUpdates);\n    }\n\n    queueHeightUpdates();\n  }\n\n  window.showPhoenixAZDenverCOSection = showSection;\n  window.postPhoenixAZDenverCOEmbedHeight = postEmbedHeight;\n\n  if(document.readyState === 'loading'){\n    document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', initComparison);\n  }else{\n    initComparison();\n  }\n\n  window.addEventListener('load', function(){\n    queueHeightUpdates();\n  });\n\n  window.addEventListener('resize', queueHeightUpdates);\n})();\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cost-of-living-comparison-by-city-a-renter-s-breakdown\">Cost of living comparison by city: a renter&#8217;s breakdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-housing-and-average-rent\">Housing and average rent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Housing is where this cost-of-living comparison splits. As of August 2026, average rent in Phoenix is $1,492. That\u2019s roughly 15% below the national average of $1,763. Denver averages $1,910, about 8% above the national figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s a $418 difference each month, or $5,016 a year. Here&#8217;s how it breaks down by floor plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Studio: $1,053 in Phoenix, $1,433 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One-bedroom: $1,347 in Phoenix, $1,717 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Two-bedroom: $1,645 in Phoenix, $2,224 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Three-bedroom: $2,139 in Phoenix, $2,881 in Denver<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking further ahead? Home prices average $596,676 in Phoenix and $665,372 in Denver, with mortgage rates nearly identical at 6.07% and 6.09%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-utilities\">Utilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an area where Denver pulls ahead. Energy costs average $172.42 a month in Denver versus $245.41 in Phoenix, which is about 42% higher. That\u2019s largely because Arizona summers are more brutal, so renters there often run the air conditioning hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phone service tips the other way, at $190.07 in Phoenix and $198.90 in Denver. Add both together and Phoenix renters pay roughly $64 more per month. That is a decent chunk of money, but only a small slice of the rent gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-groceries-and-food\">Groceries and food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Grocery bills come close to a tie. A basket of 21 common items totals $100.80 in Phoenix and $101.46 in Denver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheaper in Phoenix: ground beef ($7.61 vs. $8.33 a pound), potatoes ($4.72 vs. $5.52) and cooking oil ($8.94 vs. $9.34).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cheaper in Denver: milk ($4.64 vs. $4.87 a gallon), eggs ($4.29 vs. $4.51 a dozen) and coffee ($7.09 vs. $7.41).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Eating out is a bit friendlier in Phoenix. A pizza runs $13.21 there compared to $14.46 in Denver, and fast-food chicken is $4.97 versus $5.69.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-transportation\">Transportation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gas costs more in Phoenix, averaging $3.34 a gallon compared with $3.04 in Denver, a 10% difference. Routine car care follows the same pattern, with a tire balance at $70.48 in Phoenix and $62.86 in Denver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-health-care-and-everyday-extras\">Health care and everyday extras<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A few line items swing hard in Phoenix&#8217;s favor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prescription drugs: $15.57 in Phoenix, $34.26 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Optometrist visit: $138.02 in Phoenix, $177.17 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Movie ticket: $11.13 in Phoenix, $16.84 in Denver<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vet visit: $78.22 in Phoenix, $88.35 in Denver<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Denver takes personal care, though, with a salon visit averaging $53.27 versus $62.61 in Phoenix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-verdict-which-city-is-right-for-you\">The verdict: which city is right for you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Phoenix is the cheaper city overall, and rent is the main reason. Saving $418 a month on housing leaves room to absorb higher energy bills, pricier gas and a slightly steeper grocery run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Denver earns its higher price tag in other ways. Lower utility bills, cheaper gas and milder summers matter if you work from home or drive a lot. How that cost of living by city tradeoff fits your paycheck is a call only you can make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to make your move? Browse thousands of apartment listings on RentCafe.com to find your next home in Denver. And if you&#8217;re loving life in your current city but just want to see what else is out there, explore the latest apartments for rent in Phoenix and compare your options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading custom-faq-title\" id=\"h-faq\">FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790338771932\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Q: Is rent cheaper in Phoenix or Denver?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Phoenix. Average rent is $1,492 a month compared to $1,910 in Denver, a difference of about $418.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790338778678\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Q: How does each city compare to the national average rent?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Phoenix sits roughly 15% below the national average of $1,763, while Denver runs about 8% above it.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790338788601\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Q: Which city has cheaper utilities?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Denver. Energy averages $172.42 a month there versus $245.41 in Phoenix, though Phoenix phone plans cost a little less.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790338795563\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Q: Are groceries more expensive in Denver?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Only slightly. A basket of 21 common items costs $101.46 in Denver and $100.80 in Phoenix.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1790338800879\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Q: Is gas cheaper in Phoenix or Denver?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A: Denver, at $3.04 a gallon versus $3.34 in Phoenix, about 10% less.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Phoenix and Denver both appeal to renters who want sunshine and room to spread out, but they deliver it differently. Phoenix offers warm winters, wide-open space and rents that sit below the national average. Denver offers mountain weekends, a compact downtown and a job market that keeps growing. They also sit at different price points.&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3644,"featured_media":150749,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[38986,38988],"class_list":["post-150748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-resources","tag-cost-of-living","tag-local-guides","gallery-content-unit"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Phoenix vs. Denver: Cost of living comparison (2026)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Compare the cost of living in Phoenix vs. Denver. See average rent, utility bills, grocery prices and gas costs side by side before your next move.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Phoenix vs. Denver cost of living comparison: Which city fits your renter budget?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Compare the cost of living in Phoenix vs. Denver. 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Average rent is $1,492 a month compared to $1,910 in Denver, a difference of about $418.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338778678","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338778678","name":"Q: How does each city compare to the national average rent?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: Phoenix sits roughly 15% below the national average of $1,763, while Denver runs about 8% above it.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338788601","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338788601","name":"Q: Which city has cheaper utilities?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: Denver. Energy averages $172.42 a month there versus $245.41 in Phoenix, though Phoenix phone plans cost a little less.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338795563","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338795563","name":"Q: Are groceries more expensive in Denver?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: Only slightly. A basket of 21 common items costs $101.46 in Denver and $100.80 in Phoenix.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338800879","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/phoenix-vs-denver-cost-of-living-comparison-for-renters\/#faq-question-1790338800879","name":"Q: Is gas cheaper in Phoenix or Denver?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A: Denver, at $3.04 a gallon versus $3.34 in Phoenix, about 10% less.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2026\/09\/cost-of-living-comparison-phoenix-vs-denver.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3644"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150748"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150757,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150748\/revisions\/150757"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/150749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}