Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Arapahoe County, CO would need to be about $40,575 in Teller County, CO, or $9,425 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Arapahoe County, CO vs Teller County, CO: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Teller County, CO is cheaper than Arapahoe County, CO.
Moving to Teller County, CO is estimated to save $11,848 per year.
Cheaper County
Teller County, COSave about $11,848 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Arapahoe County, CO is about $40,575 in Teller County, CO.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $1,871 per year. Housing saves $7,703 per year.
Housing: $7,703 lower in Teller County, CO
Taxes: $3,623 lower in Teller County, CO
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $44 higher in Teller County, CO
Food: $34 lower in Teller County, CO
Transport: $1,871 higher in Teller County, CO
Arapahoe County, CO→Teller County, CO
Equivalent salary in Teller County, CO
$40,575
-18.85% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Arapahoe County, CO: $120,608
Median Income in Teller County, CO: $103,012
Living Index in Arapahoe County, CO 52.11%
Living Index in Teller County, CO 49.51%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Arapahoe County, CO to Teller County, CO.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Arapahoe County, CO to Teller County, CO is estimated to save $11,848 per year. A $50,000 salary in Arapahoe County, CO would have similar purchasing power to about $40,575 in Teller County, CO. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -18.85% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $7,703 per year lower (-38.98%); Taxes is $3,623 per year lower (-27.06%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Arapahoe County, CO and Teller County, CO, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 52.1% of median family income in Arapahoe County, CO and 49.5% in Teller County, CO. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $7,703 per year lower in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Teller County, CO changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $34 per year lower in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Teller County, CO can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,871 per year higher in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Teller County, CO.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $44 per year higher in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Teller County, CO changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,402 per year lower in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Teller County, CO help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Arapahoe County, CO and Teller County, CO, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Teller County, CO, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $3,623 per year lower in Teller County, CO than in Arapahoe County, CO. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Teller County, CO matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Teller County, CO.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Teller County, CO
Annual Increase:
$1,871 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Teller County, CO.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Teller County, CO
Annual Savings:
$7,703 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Teller County, CO.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -39% lower | |
| Food | -1% lower | |
| Transport | 15% higher | |
| Healthcare | 1% higher | |
| Other Costs | -32% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -27% lower |
In Teller County, CO, modeled annual costs are $51,003 compared with $62,851 in Arapahoe County, CO.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Teller County, CO. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Teller County, CO and Arapahoe County, CO are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
