TheUtilityCalc
⚖️ Metro Utility Cost Comparison • 2026 Fiscal Records

Colorado Springs, CO vs Aurora, SD

Relocating or comparing cost of living? Here is the complete head-to-head utility bill breakdown between Colorado Springs and Aurora, based on public utility commission filings and municipal meter schedules.

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Colorado Springs

El Paso County • Pop. 1,188,000

Average Bill: $319/mo
Cost Variance
+$26/mo
Annual Difference: $310/yr

Colorado Springs is approximately 9% more expensive than Aurora in overall monthly utility bills.

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Aurora

Brookings County • Pop. 36,000

Average Bill: $293/mo
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Executive Summary & Citability Passage

EIA / NOAA / Municipal Survey 2026

In 2026, living in Colorado Springs, CO incurs an average monthly utility expense of $319, compared to $293 per month in Aurora, SD. This reflects a 9% higher overall household utility cost, saving homeowners approximately $26 monthly or $310 each calendar year. Residential power tariffs in Colorado Springs average $0.142 per kWh supplied by Xcel Energy Colorado, whereas Aurora residents pay $0.124 per kWh through Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy. Municipal water and sewer charges also diverge, with Colorado Springs averaging $31.00 in combined monthly meter baselines versus $36.00 in Aurora. Climatologically, Colorado Springs registers 2123 Cooling Degree Days and 4122 Heating Degree Days, compared to 1304 CDD and 5433 HDD in Aurora, creating distinctly different seasonal heating and cooling load patterns across winter and summer quarters. Overall, verified 2026 public tariff benchmarks confirm that Aurora maintains more economical municipal utility infrastructure than Colorado Springs.

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for Colorado Springs and Aurora.

Colorado Springs Est.
$319/mo
Power:$140
Water & Sewer:$84
Gas & Trash:$98
Projected Variance
+$26/mo

Aurora saves your household roughly $310 per year at this consumption tier.

Aurora Est.
$293/mo
Power:$123
Water & Sewer:$89
Gas & Trash:$87

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated
Utility Component Colorado Springs, CO Aurora, SD
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh) $0.142 / kWh $0.124 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee $12.50/mo $11.00/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure
Xcel Energy Colorado
Regulated Monopoly Utility
Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy
Regulated Monopoly Utility
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm) $1.18 / Therm $1.02 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge $15.50/mo $18.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4") $16.50/mo $15.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal) $3.10 $3.05
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal) $5.40 $4.70
Wastewater / Sewer Rates Base: $14.50/mo
Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal 		Base: $21.00/mo
Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling $29.00/mo $23.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee $6.80/mo $4.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee Deposit: $150 – $250
Turn-on: $22.00 		Deposit: $130 – $230
Turn-on: $20.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals
Climate Indicator Colorado Springs, CO Aurora, SD
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD) 2,123 CDD 1,304 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD) 4,122 HDD 5,433 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility +44% Summer Spike +36% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 2,123 Cooling Degree Days and 4,122 Heating Degree Days annually across El Paso County. NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,304 Cooling Degree Days and 5,433 Heating Degree Days annually across Brookings County.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data
Solar Component Colorado Springs, CO Aurora, SD
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours 4.8 hrs/day 4.2 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation Colorado PUC 1:1 Net Metering with annual reconciliation rollover. SD PUC net metering up to 100 kW with annual reconciliation at avoided cost.
City Solar Calculator Colorado Springs Solar Estimator → Aurora Solar Estimator →
🏙️ Colorado Springs Official Estimator

Colorado Springs, CO Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Colorado Springs.

ZIP: colorado-springs Open Colorado Springs Hub →
🏙️ Aurora Official Estimator

Aurora, SD Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Aurora.

ZIP: aurora Open Aurora Hub →
Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Colorado Springs vs Aurora

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Aurora for utilities? ▼
Aurora, SD is approximately 9% cheaper than Colorado Springs, CO in overall monthly utility bills ($293/mo vs $319/mo). A typical household saves around $26 per month or $310 annually.
How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼
Residential electricity in Colorado Springs costs $0.142 per kWh supplied by Xcel Energy Colorado, compared to $0.124 per kWh in Aurora served by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy. For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $18.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.
What is the water and sewer rate difference between Colorado Springs and Aurora? ▼
In Colorado Springs, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $16.50/mo plus $14.50/mo sewer baseline. In Aurora, the base water fee is $15.00/mo with $21.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $3.10/1k gal in Colorado Springs versus $3.05/1k gal in Aurora.
How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼
Colorado Springs logs 2,123 Cooling Degree Days with a 44% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Aurora records 1,304 CDD with a 36% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 4,122 in Colorado Springs versus 5,433 in Aurora.
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Colorado Springs vs Denver, CO $319 vs $335 → Colorado Springs vs New York City, NY $319 vs $440 → Colorado Springs vs New York, NY $319 vs $439 → Colorado Springs vs Los Angeles, CA $319 vs $395 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for Aurora

Aurora vs Sioux Falls, SD $293 vs $298 → Aurora vs Rapid City, SD $293 vs $293 → Aurora vs New York City, NY $293 vs $440 → Aurora vs New York, NY $293 vs $439 →
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Official Municipal Filings

Tariff data is sourced directly from city council utility rate resolutions, Public Utility Commission (PUC) filings, and retail provider dockets.

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Federal Energy Benchmarks

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-861M residential sales data is leveraged to calibrate regional seasonal consumption models.

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USGS & NOAA Climate Standards

Water and sewer discharge volume models use USGS per capita metrics; HVAC load draws from NOAA Cooling & Heating Degree Day (CDD/HDD) indexes.

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Est. Monthly Bill
$335/mo