Colorado vs South Dakota: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Colorado or South Dakota?
- Overall, South Dakota is 14.0% less expensive than Colorado (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Colorado works out to about $64,500 in South Dakota, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 46.9% less in South Dakota. Goods are 3.3% lower and other services 7.7% lower.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $69,153 in South Dakota and $65,223 in Colorado (6.0% higher in South Dakota; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 89.2 in Rapid City, SD to 90.6 in Sioux Falls, SD (South Dakota) and from 91.8 in Pueblo, CO to 105.8 in Denver, CO (Colorado), US = 100.
- The gap has widened since 2019, when South Dakota was 10.4% less expensive than Colorado.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 46.9% lower in South Dakota than in Colorado
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.1 | 88.6 |
| Goods | 98.7 | 95.5 |
| Housing (rents) | 127.4 | 67.6 |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 79.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 91.9 |
| Category | Colorado | South Dakota | South Dakota vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.1 | 88.6 | −14.0% |
| Goods | 98.7 | 95.5 | −3.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 127.4 | 67.6 | −46.9% |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 79.7 | −6.3% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 91.9 | −7.7% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $65,223 | $69,153 | +6.0% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.27 | $4.14 | −3.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Colorado | $75,000 | $64,500 | −14.0% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate South Dakota figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Colorado
- Pueblo, CO 91.8
- Grand Junction, CO 95.5
- Greeley, CO 100.2
- Colorado Springs, CO 100.7
- Fort Collins, CO 101.1
- Boulder, CO 105.2
- Denver, CO 105.8
South Dakota
- Sioux City, IA 86.5
- Rapid City, SD 89.2
- Sioux Falls, SD 90.6
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Colorado and South Dakota has narrowed since 2008: 18.3 points then, 14.5 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.3 | 85.0 |
| 2009 | 102.4 | 86.1 |
| 2010 | 100.6 | 88.8 |
| 2011 | 103.4 | 87.3 |
| 2012 | 103.1 | 90.3 |
| 2013 | 103.1 | 90.2 |
| 2014 | 103.1 | 89.4 |
| 2015 | 103.0 | 87.8 |
| 2016 | 102.7 | 87.3 |
| 2017 | 102.9 | 87.2 |
| 2018 | 100.3 | 91.2 |
| 2019 | 102.5 | 91.8 |
| 2020 | 103.8 | 91.3 |
| 2021 | 102.8 | 90.1 |
| 2022 | 102.3 | 87.9 |
| 2023 | 101.9 | 88.1 |
| 2024 | 103.1 | 88.6 |
Goods
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.4 | 84.3 |
| 2009 | 102.1 | 89.5 |
| 2010 | 101.3 | 94.6 |
| 2011 | 101.6 | 94.7 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 96.0 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 95.8 |
| 2014 | 100.2 | 97.2 |
| 2015 | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| 2016 | 99.8 | 95.8 |
| 2017 | 99.5 | 94.6 |
| 2018 | 97.6 | 95.8 |
| 2019 | 101.6 | 97.8 |
| 2020 | 102.0 | 96.6 |
| 2021 | 101.8 | 93.8 |
| 2022 | 101.2 | 94.0 |
| 2023 | 99.2 | 97.4 |
| 2024 | 98.7 | 95.5 |
Housing (rents)
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 113.9 | 59.2 |
| 2009 | 113.2 | 56.5 |
| 2010 | 112.2 | 62.2 |
| 2011 | 118.8 | 59.1 |
| 2012 | 115.7 | 68.0 |
| 2013 | 118.0 | 68.3 |
| 2014 | 120.8 | 62.7 |
| 2015 | 123.9 | 62.2 |
| 2016 | 126.2 | 62.1 |
| 2017 | 128.9 | 64.7 |
| 2018 | 128.3 | 66.9 |
| 2019 | 131.0 | 66.3 |
| 2020 | 130.4 | 63.6 |
| 2021 | 129.4 | 64.9 |
| 2022 | 129.5 | 65.1 |
| 2023 | 130.5 | 64.8 |
| 2024 | 127.4 | 67.6 |
Utilities
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 78.3 | 77.0 |
| 2009 | 78.8 | 76.7 |
| 2010 | 83.9 | 79.6 |
| 2011 | 91.0 | 76.4 |
| 2012 | 85.7 | 78.9 |
| 2013 | 83.5 | 80.2 |
| 2014 | 96.8 | 78.9 |
| 2015 | 89.2 | 79.8 |
| 2016 | 89.3 | 80.9 |
| 2017 | 86.1 | 83.1 |
| 2018 | 84.5 | 90.5 |
| 2019 | 88.4 | 89.3 |
| 2020 | 88.5 | 90.6 |
| 2021 | 85.4 | 94.9 |
| 2022 | 89.4 | 88.7 |
| 2023 | 86.8 | 81.3 |
| 2024 | 85.0 | 79.7 |
Other services
- Colorado
- South Dakota
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.9 | 96.1 |
| 2009 | 100.5 | 96.1 |
| 2010 | 97.5 | 95.9 |
| 2011 | 100.4 | 93.6 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 95.5 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 95.1 |
| 2014 | 100.0 | 94.9 |
| 2015 | 99.8 | 91.9 |
| 2016 | 98.5 | 91.6 |
| 2017 | 98.8 | 90.9 |
| 2018 | 95.3 | 96.8 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 97.2 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| 2021 | 96.7 | 96.0 |
| 2022 | 96.1 | 91.6 |
| 2023 | 96.5 | 91.0 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 91.9 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $69,153 in South Dakota, $65,223 in Colorado
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Colorado
- South Dakota
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Colorado | South Dakota | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $46,671 | $53,983 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $44,278 | $51,597 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $44,904 | $51,419 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $45,648 | $55,061 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $46,723 | $52,760 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $47,745 | $52,150 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $50,265 | $53,918 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $51,351 | $56,644 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $50,937 | $56,407 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $52,749 | $56,779 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $56,590 | $55,531 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $57,869 | $57,354 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $59,735 | $62,511 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $64,359 | $68,551 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $64,668 | $68,469 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $65,363 | $69,861 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $65,223 | $69,153 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Colorado
- Cost of living in South Dakota
- Reverse: moving from South Dakota to Colorado
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.