Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Denver for monthly utilities?

Colorado Springs, CO is approximately 5% cheaper than Denver, CO in average monthly utilities ($319/mo vs $335/mo), saving approximately $16 per month or $197 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare between Colorado Springs and Denver?

Residential electricity in Colorado Springs is $0.142 per kWh served by Xcel Energy Colorado, compared to $0.142 per kWh in Denver served by Xcel Energy Colorado.

What is the average water and sewer bill in Colorado Springs compared to Denver?

In Colorado Springs, the minimum water and sewer base meter charge is $31.00/month with Tier 1 volumetric water priced at $3.10 per 1,000 gallons. In Denver, baseline fixed meter fees are $31.00/month with Tier 1 water at $3.10 per 1,000 gallons.

How do weather and climate affect seasonal utility bills in Colorado Springs vs Denver?

Colorado Springs experiences 2123 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 44%, whereas Denver records 980 CDD with a summer spike of 38%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 4122 in Colorado Springs versus 5800 in Denver.

Colorado Springs, CO vs Denver, CO Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

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

Colorado Springs Est.

$319/mo

Power:$140

Water & Sewer:$84

Gas & Trash:$98

Projected Variance

-$16/mo

Colorado Springs saves your household roughly $197 per year at this consumption tier.

Denver Est.

$335/mo

Power:$140

Water & Sewer:$84

Gas & Trash:$98

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	Denver, CO
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.142 / kWh	$0.142 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$12.50/mo	$12.50/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	Xcel Energy Colorado Regulated Monopoly Utility	Xcel Energy Colorado Regulated Monopoly Utility
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.18 / Therm	$1.18 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$15.50/mo	$15.50/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$16.50/mo	$16.50/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$3.10	$3.10
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$5.40	$5.40
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $14.50/mo Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal	Base: $14.50/mo Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$29.00/mo	$29.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$6.80/mo	$6.80/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $150 – $250 Turn-on: $22.00	Deposit: $150 – $250 Turn-on: $22.00

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	Denver, CO
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	2,123 CDD	980 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	4,122 HDD	5,800 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+44% Summer Spike	+38% 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.	Semi-arid continental climate at 5,280 ft altitude with cold winters and sunny summer days.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

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

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Colorado Springs, CO	Denver, CO
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.8 hrs/day	5.3 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	Colorado PUC 1:1 Net Metering with annual reconciliation rollover.	Colorado PUC 1:1 Net Metering with annual reconciliation rollover.
City Solar Calculator	Colorado Springs Solar Estimator →	Denver 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 →

🏙️ Denver Official Estimator

Denver, CO Utility Calculator

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

ZIP: denver Open Denver Hub →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Colorado Springs vs Denver

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

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Denver for utilities? ▼

Colorado Springs, CO is approximately 5% cheaper than Denver, CO in overall monthly utility bills ($319/mo vs $335/mo). A typical household saves around $16 per month or $197 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 $0.142 per kWh in Denver served by Xcel Energy Colorado. For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $0.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

What is the water and sewer rate difference between Colorado Springs and Denver? ▼

In Colorado Springs, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $16.50/mo plus $14.50/mo sewer baseline. In Denver, the base water fee is $16.50/mo with $14.50/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $3.10/1k gal in Colorado Springs versus $3.10/1k gal in Denver.

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, Denver records 980 CDD with a 38% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 4,122 in Colorado Springs versus 5,800 in Denver.

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Colorado Springs, CO vs Denver, CO