D+
27%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
95%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Fort Collins Colorado National
Cost of living127111100
Goods & Services101104100
Groceries103101100
Health care103100100
Housing195134100
Transportation97105100
Utilities8791100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Fort Collins, CO

Knowing the cost of living in Fort Collins allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Fort Collins stands at 127, marking it 27% higher than the national average.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Fort Collins may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Fort Collins falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Fort Collins cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 94.5% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Fort Collins?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 49 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Fort Collins. The results indicated that 24% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 76% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Fort Collins Affordable?

Is Fort Collins an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Fort Collins is 115.9% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 44.7% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Fort Collins has a median household income of $70,528, which is 27.5% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Fort Collins?

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Fort Collins, the groceries index registers 3% higher than the national average.

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Fort Collins, the utilities index registers 13.4% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Fort Collins cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Fort Collins is 15% higher than the Colorado average
  • The cost of living in Fort Collins is 27% higher than the national average
  • Fort Collins housing is 95% higher than the national average
  • Colorado general sales tax is 43% lower than the national average
  • Colorado state income tax is 69% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Fort Collins

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Compare Fort Collins, CO Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$100,013$8,334$2,333$3,001
      Renters$44,019$3,668$1,027$1,321
      The affordability of the housing market in Fort Collins, CO as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Fort Collins homeowners, the median income is $100,013. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,333 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $44,019. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,027 for their rent related monthly costs.

      Colorado Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Colorado 2.9% 10%

      Colorado Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Colorado 4.4% 4.4%

      Goods & Services

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      Haircut $28.69$24.2618.3%
      Beauty Salon $33.98$45.5625.4%
      Toothpaste $3.63$3.701.9%
      Shampoo $1.23$1.283.7%
      Movie $10.98$12.139.5%
      Bowling $15.17$18.0015.7%

      Groceries

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.98$5.842.4%
      Fried Chicken $1.41$1.5710.6%
      Milk $4.67$4.670.1%
      Potatoes $4.44$4.9310.0%
      Pizza $12.23$12.091.2%
      Beer $10.49$10.410.7%

      Health Care

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $191.47$125.6852.3%
      Doctor $140.63$135.783.6%
      Dentist $107.16$113.295.4%
      Ibuprofen $10.59$10.650.6%
      Lipitor $485.12$468.603.5%

      Housing

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      Home Price $398,800.00$184,700.00115.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,154.34$2,346.698.2%
      Apartment Rent $1,373.00$949.0044.7%

      Transportation

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.32$3.464.0%
      Tire Balancing $59.30$59.921.0%

      Utilities

      Item Fort Collins National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $154.32$193.9920.5%
      Phone $187.74$192.252.3%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Laporte, CO2,29911414.3%
      Loveland, CO81,77412121.1%
      Severance, CO5,61112323.2%
      Wellington, CO8,65112827.9%
      Windsor, CO23,67913231.5%
      Fort Collins, CO166,06912727.5%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Greater Sudbury, ON165,562n/a 
      Springfield, MO167,6018416.4%
      Corona, CA168,11214949.4%
      Jackson, MS163,7788317.0%
      Cary, NC169,17712424.3%
      Fort Collins, CO166,06912727.5%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.