Golden, CO Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Golden, CO Summary

Cost of living in Golden 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 Golden 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 Golden is 144, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Golden is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Golden ranks as the #88 cheapest in Colorado out of 113.

  • Golden ranks as the #5,533 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Golden is $855,735.

  • The median income in Golden is $95,913.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
144
Golden's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Golden, CO?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Golden has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Colorado, Golden has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Colorado's index of 111.

The standard of living in Golden ranks as #88 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Colorado. By definition, that implies Golden ranks as the #25 most expensive place in the Centennial State.

For more reading on life in Golden, check out:

88 out of 113
In Colorado
5,533 out of 6,489
In America

Golden Cost Of Living Vs. Colorado

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

  • The Services index in Golden is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Golden is 95.

  • The Health index in Golden is 87.

  • The Housing index in Golden is 253.

  • The Transportation index in Golden is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Golden is 86.

Living Expense Golden Colorado National Average
Overall 144 111 100
Services 103 102 100
Groceries 95 103 100
Health 87 101 100
Housing 253 134 100
Transportation 107 107 100
Utilities 86 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around Colorado, check out:
Golden Cost of Living Vs. CO

Golden, 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 Golden is $855,735.

  • The Median Rent in Golden is $1,854.

  • The Median Income in Golden is $95,913.

  • The Home Value To Income in Golden is 8.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Golden is 0.23x.

Statistic Golden Colorado United States
Median Home Value $855,735 $540,183 $303,400
Median Rent $1,854 $1,693 $1,348
Median Income $95,913 $92,470 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.9x 5.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.22x 0.21x
$855,735
Median Home Value
$1,854
Median Rent
$95,913
Median Income

Golden, CO Costs By Category

Detailed Golden Services Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Golden Colorado
Shampoo $1.19 $1.28
Movie $11.09 $12.13
Bowling $22.22 $18
Haircut $25.33 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.45 $45.56

Detailed Golden Groceries Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Golden Colorado
Ground Beef $5.56 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.43 $1.57
Milk $4.89 $4.67
Potatoes $4.62 $4.93
Pizza $11.06 $12.09
Beer $11.34 $10.41
Toothpaste $4.12 $3.7

Detailed Golden Health Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Golden Colorado
Optometrist $110.45 $125.68
Doctor $188.89 $135.78
Dentist $107.78 $113.29

Detailed Golden Transportation Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Golden Colorado
Gasoline $3.58 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.58 $59.92

Detailed Golden Utilities Costs Vs. Colorado

Item Golden Colorado
All Electricity $161.0 $193.99
Phone $195.56 $192.25

Golden SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
7
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Golden

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

  • Denver, CO has a cost of living index of 134, 0.9x Golden.

  • Lakewood, CO has a cost of living index of 130, 0.9x Golden.

  • Arvada, CO has a cost of living index of 133, 0.9x Golden.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Golden
Denver, CO 713,734 134 0.9x
Lakewood, CO 156,309 130 0.9x
Arvada, CO 122,835 133 0.9x
Northglenn, CO 37,953 120 0.8x
Englewood, CO 33,774 127 0.9x
Wheat Ridge, CO 32,158 130 0.9x
Central, LA 29,603 106 0.7x
Sherrelwood, CO 19,368 117 0.8x
Welby, CO 16,232 110 0.8x
Federal Heights, CO 14,160 93 0.6x

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