Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Douglas County, CO would need to be about $34,125 in Kiowa County, CO, or $15,875 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Douglas County, CO vs Kiowa County, CO: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Kiowa County, CO is cheaper than Douglas County, CO.
Moving to Kiowa County, CO is estimated to save $22,888 per year.
Cheaper County
Kiowa County, COSave about $22,888 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Douglas County, CO is about $34,125 in Kiowa County, CO.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $1,137 per year. Housing saves $12,842 per year.
Housing: $12,842 lower in Kiowa County, CO
Taxes: $7,182 lower in Kiowa County, CO
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $1,060 higher in Kiowa County, CO
Food: $819 lower in Kiowa County, CO
Transport: $1,137 higher in Kiowa County, CO
Douglas County, CO→Kiowa County, CO
Equivalent salary in Kiowa County, CO
$34,125
-31.75% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Douglas County, CO: $164,967
Median Income in Kiowa County, CO: $78,036
Living Index in Douglas County, CO 43.71%
Living Index in Kiowa County, CO 63.06%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Douglas County, CO to Kiowa 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 Douglas County, CO to Kiowa County, CO is estimated to save $22,888 per year. A $50,000 salary in Douglas County, CO would have similar purchasing power to about $34,125 in Kiowa County, CO. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -31.75% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $12,842 per year lower (-56.2%); Taxes is $7,182 per year lower (-43.49%).
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 Douglas County, CO and Kiowa County, CO, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 43.7% of median family income in Douglas County, CO and 63.1% in Kiowa County, CO. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $12,842 per year lower in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas County, CO. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Kiowa County, CO changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $819 per year lower in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas County, CO. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Kiowa County, CO can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,137 per year higher in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas 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 Kiowa County, CO.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $1,060 per year higher in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas County, CO. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Kiowa County, CO changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $4,242 per year lower in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas County, CO. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Kiowa County, CO help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Douglas County, CO and Kiowa County, CO, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Kiowa County, CO, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $7,182 per year lower in Kiowa County, CO than in Douglas County, CO. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Kiowa 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 Kiowa County, CO.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Kiowa County, CO
Annual Increase:
$1,137 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Kiowa County, CO.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Kiowa County, CO
Annual Savings:
$12,842 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Kiowa County, CO.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -56% lower | |
| Food | -17% lower | |
| Transport | 8% higher | |
| Healthcare | 20% higher | |
| Other Costs | -49% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -43% lower |
In Kiowa County, CO, modeled annual costs are $49,211 compared with $72,099 in Douglas County, CO.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Kiowa County, CO. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Kiowa County, CO is not a metropolitan location, while Douglas County, CO is a metropolitan location.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
