Median rent is 12% lower in Denver ($1,831/mo vs $2,082/mo). Buying is cheaper in Denver, where the median home runs $616,000 versus $713,000. Households earn more in Denver ($94,718 vs $93,999 a year).
City A
Denver, CO
City B
Santa Ana, CA
How much would you need to earn in Santa Ana, CA to maintain your standard of living from Denver, CO?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Denver
Colorado
Santa Ana
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Denver at $1,831/mo compared to $2,082/mo in Santa Ana (12% gap). Median home values are within 14% of each other: $616,000 in Denver and $713,000 in Santa Ana.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Denver
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Santa Ana
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Denver (avg AQI 27.0) but not yet for Santa Ana.
Pick Denver if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,831/mo median).
Is Denver cheaper than Santa Ana?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Denver vs Santa Ana?
Median rent is $1,831/mo in Denver, CO and $2,082/mo in Santa Ana, CA. Denver, CO has the lower rent by about 12%.
Which has higher salaries — Denver or Santa Ana?
Median household income is $94,718 in Denver, CO and $93,999 in Santa Ana, CA. Denver, CO has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Denver or Santa Ana?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Santa Ana to match my Denver income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
