Carbondale, CO Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carbondale, CO Summary

Cost of living in Carbondale research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Carbondale is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Colorado, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Carbondale is 160, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carbondale is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Carbondale ranks as the #104 cheapest in Colorado out of 113.

  • Carbondale ranks as the #5,900 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carbondale is $1,414,491.

  • The median income in Carbondale is $94,300.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
160
Carbondale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carbondale, CO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carbondale has an overall cost of living index of 160, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Colorado, Carbondale has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than Colorado's index of 111.

The standard of living in Carbondale ranks as #104 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Carbondale ranks as the #9 most expensive place in the Centennial State.

For more reading on life in Carbondale, check out:

104 out of 113
In Colorado
5,900 out of 6,489
In America

Carbondale Cost Of Living Vs. Colorado

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carbondale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carbondale is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Carbondale is 103.

  • The Health index in Carbondale is 109.

  • The Housing index in Carbondale is 298.

  • The Transportation index in Carbondale is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Carbondale is 88.

Living Expense Carbondale Colorado National Average
Overall 160 111 100
Services 100 102 100
Groceries 103 103 100
Health 109 101 100
Housing 298 134 100
Transportation 109 107 100
Utilities 88 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around Colorado, check out:
Carbondale Cost of Living Vs. CO

Carbondale, CO Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Colorado, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Carbondale is $1,414,491.

  • The Median Rent in Carbondale is $2,255.

  • The Median Income in Carbondale is $94,300.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carbondale is 15.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carbondale is 0.29x.

Statistic Carbondale Colorado United States
Median Home Value $1,414,491 $540,183 $303,400
Median Rent $2,255 $1,693 $1,348
Median Income $94,300 $92,470 $78,538
Home Value To Income 15.0x 5.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.22x 0.21x
$1,414,491
Median Home Value
$2,255
Median Rent
$94,300
Median Income

Carbondale, CO Costs By Category

Detailed Carbondale Services Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Carbondale Colorado
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $10.84 $12.13
Bowling $13.55 $18
Haircut $27.07 $24.26
Beauty Salon $38.5 $45.56

Detailed Carbondale Groceries Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Carbondale Colorado
Ground Beef $5.27 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.6 $4.67
Potatoes $4.16 $4.93
Pizza $12.49 $12.09
Beer $10.74 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Carbondale Health Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Carbondale Colorado
Optometrist $108.15 $125.68
Doctor $121.76 $135.78
Dentist $124.32 $113.29

Detailed Carbondale Transportation Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Carbondale Colorado
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $56.9 $59.92

Detailed Carbondale Utilities Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Carbondale Colorado
All Electricity $173.81 $193.99
Phone $193.95 $192.25

Carbondale SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carbondale

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carbondale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Rifle, CO has a cost of living index of 111, 0.7x Carbondale.

  • Edwards, CO has a cost of living index of 167, 1.0x Carbondale.

  • Glenwood Springs, CO has a cost of living index of 131, 0.8x Carbondale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carbondale
Rifle, CO 10,466 111 0.7x
Edwards, CO 10,415 167 1.0x
Glenwood Springs, CO 10,171 131 0.8x
Gypsum, CO 8,481 133 0.8x
Eagle, CO 7,479 151 0.9x
Aspen, CO 6,862 149 0.9x
Avon, CO 6,057 144 0.9x

Articles About Colorado

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