Fort Collins, CO Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fort Collins, CO Summary

Cost of living in Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins is 126, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fort Collins is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Fort Collins ranks as the #54 cheapest in Colorado out of 113.

  • Fort Collins ranks as the #4,776 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fort Collins is $554,176.

  • The median income in Fort Collins is $83,598.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
126
Fort Collins's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fort Collins, CO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fort Collins has an overall cost of living index of 126, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Colorado, Fort Collins has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Colorado's index of 111.

The standard of living in Fort Collins ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Fort Collins ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Centennial State.

For more reading on life in Fort Collins, check out:

54 out of 113
In Colorado
4,776 out of 6,489
In America

Fort Collins Cost Of Living Vs. Colorado

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

  • The Services index in Fort Collins is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Fort Collins is 104.

  • The Health index in Fort Collins is 102.

  • The Housing index in Fort Collins is 195.

  • The Transportation index in Fort Collins is 98.

  • The Utilities index in Fort Collins is 88.

Living Expense Fort Collins Colorado National Average
Overall 126 111 100
Services 101 102 100
Groceries 104 103 100
Health 102 101 100
Housing 195 134 100
Transportation 98 107 100
Utilities 88 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around Colorado, check out:
Fort Collins Cost of Living Vs. CO

Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins is $554,176.

  • The Median Rent in Fort Collins is $1,661.

  • The Median Income in Fort Collins is $83,598.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fort Collins is 6.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fort Collins is 0.24x.

Statistic Fort Collins Colorado United States
Median Home Value $554,176 $540,183 $303,400
Median Rent $1,661 $1,693 $1,348
Median Income $83,598 $92,470 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.6x 5.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.22x 0.21x
$554,176
Median Home Value
$1,661
Median Rent
$83,598
Median Income

Fort Collins, CO Costs By Category

Detailed Fort Collins Services Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Fort Collins Colorado
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $10.98 $12.13
Bowling $15.17 $18
Haircut $28.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $33.98 $45.56

Detailed Fort Collins Groceries Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Fort Collins Colorado
Ground Beef $5.98 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.67 $4.67
Potatoes $4.44 $4.93
Pizza $12.23 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.63 $3.7

Detailed Fort Collins Health Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Fort Collins Colorado
Optometrist $191.47 $125.68
Doctor $140.63 $135.78
Dentist $107.16 $113.29

Detailed Fort Collins Transportation Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Fort Collins Colorado
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.3 $59.92

Detailed Fort Collins Utilities Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Fort Collins Colorado
All Electricity $154.32 $193.99
Phone $187.74 $192.25

Fort Collins SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
9.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fort Collins

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

  • Greeley, CO has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Fort Collins.

  • Loveland, CO has a cost of living index of 119, 0.9x Fort Collins.

  • Windsor, CO has a cost of living index of 133, 1.1x Fort Collins.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fort Collins
Greeley, CO 109,421 110 0.9x
Loveland, CO 77,350 119 0.9x
Windsor, CO 35,918 133 1.1x
Berthoud, CO 11,684 125 1.0x
Wellington, CO 11,538 128 1.0x
Severance, CO 9,302 122 1.0x
Milliken, CO 8,695 116 0.9x
Johnstown, NY 8,153 92 0.7x
Timnath, CO 8,007 152 1.2x

Articles About Colorado

Enjoy The Snack?