Texas vs Colorado: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $542 less a month in Colorado than in Texas after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 24% higher in Colorado.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Texas | Colorado | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $5,133 | $4,917 | −$216 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,475 | $1,822 | +$347 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $174 | $116 | −$59 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $137 | $162 | +$25 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $204 | $217 | +$13 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $2,484 | $1,942 | −$542 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas or Colorado?
Texas, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, Texas leaves about $542 more a month ($6,510 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in Colorado equals $75,000 in Texas?
About $84,900 a year. At that salary a single filer in Colorado keeps the same $2,484 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Texas (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Texas and Colorado?
Texas has no income tax on wages and Colorado has a flat 4.4% income tax (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $5,133 a month in Texas and $4,917 in Colorado.
How much is rent in Texas vs Colorado?
The median rent is $1,475 a month in Texas and $1,822 in Colorado (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Texas or Colorado, and the take-home pay calculators for Texas and Colorado.