Cost of living in 5 Colorado cities, ranked from cheapest to most expensive

• A research group found Denver had the highest Cost of Living Index score among five Colorado cities.
• Meanwhile, Pueblo and Grand Junction were the least expensive cities to live in.

Colorado is known for its diverse landscape that spans mountains and deserts; the state is also home to cities that run the gamut when it comes to the cost of living.

Colorado Springs and Denver were two of the most expensive cities in the state, while Pueblo and Grand Junction run a bit cheaper, data from the Council for Community and Economic Research, or C2ER, found.

The group's Cost of Living Index, which is released quarterly, measures how expensive different regions are based on local factors such as utilities, housing, and grocery items for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile, according to C2ER. The second-quarter index featured 274 locations, including five in Colorado.

While Colorado Springs and Denver were ranked the most expensive cities among the five places with data in Colorado — with an index of 109 and 110.2, respectively — they're much cheaper than some of the other urban area locations on the index. Unsurprisingly, Manhattan ranked No. 1 on the index and had a cost of living that was "more than twice the national average," said a C2ER press release.

The following shows the five Colorado cities with data for the second quarter of 2023, sorted by their composite index. Insider also included other costs, such as home prices or apartment rent, that were provided by C2ER.

Insider also looked at the cost of living in Texas, Florida, and California using the Cost of Living Index data.

5. Pueblo

Pueblo, Colorado.      Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock

Composite index: 96.7

Home price: $463,133

Apartment rent: $1,560

Energy: $175.03

Doctor visit: $116.15

Beauty salon visit: $37.32

4. Grand Junction

Grand Junction, Colorado.      Paul Gana/Shutterstock

Composite index: 102.3

Home price: $520,000

Apartment rent: $1,518.75

Energy: $151.43

Doctor visit: $188.33

Beauty salon visit: $46.67

3. Westminster

Westminster, Colorado.      Kit Leong/Shutterstock

Composite index: 105.5

Home price: $594,903

Apartment rent: $2,093

Energy: $144.14

Doctor visit: $99

Beauty salon visit: $45

2. Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado.      Kit Leong/Shutterstock

Composite index: 109

Home price: $528,207

Apartment rent: $1,758

Energy: $200.72

Doctor visit: $168

Beauty salon visit: $45.36

1. Denver, Colorado

Denver.      Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images

Composite index: 110.2

Home price: $642,294

Apartment rent: $1,869

Energy: $133.97

Doctor visit: $114.33

Beauty salon visit: $50.17