High Cost of Colorado
Living in Colorado right now means worrying about what everything costs. People say housing and other prices are the state’s biggest problem.
A new ongoing Colorado Sun series puts reporters with all kinds of Coloradans to talk about their challenges, their fears and, in some remarkable cases, their solutions.
High Cost of Colorado: The Sun introduces a new series
From housing to a night at Red Rocks, from restaurant rice to 14er snacks, from health insurance to water bills, the struggle to afford our state is real.
Watch: The Colorado Sun talks the High Cost of Colorado housing
The Colorado Sun spoke with speakers about the high cost of Colorado, specifically about housing, affordable units, rent control and more.
Entertainment
Colorado pet owners bark about the high — and rising — cost of caring for their companions
From food to veterinary services, escalating prices are taking a toll. Free or discounted resources offer some respite from economic challenges.
It’s expensive to go to concerts in Colorado. Let’s dig into why.
Plus, we look at how much a night at Red Rocks costs you at three different budget points.
Is getting a Christmas tree in Colorado too expensive? It goes back to the Great Recession.
Costs of fertilizers, fuel and labor have also continued to increase over the long life of a farmed tree.
Groceries
You think a pound of beef is expensive? Wait until you hear what it costs to produce it in Colorado.
Since 2018, the cost of beef has risen 28% at retail — and ranchers are feeling the pinch from all sides.
The cost of a homemade chicken dinner has climbed 40% in five years in Colorado
The pandemic changed our habits — maybe forever — and forced Coloradans to spend more money on food for home.
The cost of 5 common grocery items has gone up 35% in Colorado in 5 years. Here’s the breakdown.
It’s on trips to the grocery store that Coloradans most often have to deal with the cost of inflation
Housing
Studies show Colorado property taxes are “extremely low.” So why do they feel so high?
The disconnect has put Colorado policymakers in a bind as they try to come up with promised reforms to the state’s property tax system.
Young Colorado renters need to choose if they’ll pay the landlord, the hospital or grandma
A tenant who earns minimum wage would have to work 77 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom apartment at fair market rent
Colorado utility bills keep growing even though the price of electricity is static. Here’s why.
Since 2019 the average monthly residential bill, for 600 kilowatt-hours of electricity, has risen 38% to $92.
A mom with four jobs and the impossible task of owning a home
The number of hours of work required to cover the mortgage payment on an average priced house increased from 48 hours in 2013 to 104 hours in 2022.
Outdoors
Has skiing in Colorado grown more expensive or more affordable? It depends.
It comes down to how much you plan.
Hiking in Colorado is free, but it’s not always cheap
We pulled together a money diary, graphs and our gear to see how much hiking can cost you. It’s more than you might think.
Restaurants
Why a Colorado restaurant is thinking of buying a $10,000 rice dispenser
The cost of labor, utilities, ingredients and equipment have all gone up.
The average hamburger in Colorado now costs $15. Here’s how that price breaks down.
The cost of labor, utilities, ingredients and equipment have all gone up.
Tips are getting larger in Colorado as inflation rises, more places suggest gratuity
An 18-20% gratuity on restaurant meals has been standard for two decades. But as the cost of meals grow, tips are eating more into personal budgets.
More coming …
Talk To Us
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Credits
Project Leads: Michael Booth & Jennifer Brown
Editor: Dana Coffield
Photographers: Olivia Sun & Hugh Carey
Designers: Danika Worthington & Eric Lubbers
Scrolling receipt: Created by Eric Lubbers using code snippets from CodePen user Garrett Bear