Rent vs buy in Denver, CO

In Denver, Colorado, the typical rent is $1,855 /mo and the typical home price is $520,947.

Rent

Over 7 years, renting comes out ahead by $37k.

Today's mortgage rate and 20% down are paired with Denver's rent and home value, both at typical levels. The break-even point arrives in year 12.

Clearly labeled opinion with the math shown. Estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes when you change a number.

How much renting leads by: $37k
Break-even point: year 12
Full cost of owning: $4,345 /mo

Change my numbers

The stamp relies on Denver's typical figures for rent and home value. Your rent, purchase price and number of years can reverse the result.

Do your numbers differ from the city's?

Enter the rent, purchase price and down payment figures you want to use. Those figures change the stamp.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Denver?

If you include the money returned when you sell, renting costs $36,618 less over 7 years. Renting costs less during the first 11 years. By year 12, owning catches up.

Rent. Ownership. Net cost up to each year.

Denver's average rent compared with mortgage payments

Rent and mortgage payments don't tell the whole story. Here are all the monthly costs in year 1, based on Denver's typical price.

Each month, year 1	Amount	What it is
Rent	$1,855	All of it, every month
Mortgage payment	$2,840	$2,503 of it is interest in year 1
Property tax	$195	0.45% of the value a year
Insurance	$148	Census median for the city
Upkeep	$434	1% of the value a year
Owning, cash out	$3,618	$337 of it builds equity
Lost return on the down payment	$847	The amount this cash would earn yearly at 8.3%
Buying costs, spread out	$217	3.5% of the price over 7 years
True cost of owning	$4,345	Cash out, minus the equity portion, plus the two lines above

What the numbers show about the Denver verdict

Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026: $520,947
Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026: $1,855 /mo
Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model: 20%
Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US): 7.24%
Home price growthFHFA house price index, Colorado, 1995 to 2025: 5.2% a year
Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026: 3.5% a year
Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025: 8.3% a year
Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Denver: 0.45% of value
Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Denver: $148 /mo
MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%: 1% of value a year
Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%: 3.5% of price
Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs: 6% of price

What would flip the result in Denver?

Each line marks the point where the 7-year verdict for Denver changes. Everything else stays as it is.

When renting is better

With home prices growing slower than 6.0% a year, our rate is 5.2%, Colorado's long-run rate.
That outcome depends on the mortgage rate remaining over 5.99%.
A comparable home rents below $2,250 a month (the local typical rent is $1,855).
Your move happens before year 12.

When buying is better

Home prices grow at more than 6.0% a year.
You lock in a mortgage rate under 5.99% (today's is 7.24%).
The same home would have monthly rental costs above $2,250.
You remain in the home for 12 years or more.

Denver compared with the other 812 cities

Measure	Denver	Median city
Typical home value	$520,947	$422,451
Typical rent	$1,855 /mo	$1,837 /mo
Price-to-rent ratio	23.4 (#197 of 813)	18.5
Home prices, last 10 years	3.8% a year	6.2% a year
Rents, last 5 years	1.2% a year	4% a year
Property tax	0.45%	0.87%
Households that rent	51%	42%

Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.

More cities in Colorado

Rent. Renting wins by $17k in Colorado Springs, CO.
Rent. Renting wins by $22k in Aurora, CO.
Rent. Renting wins by $47k in Arvada, CO.
Buy. Buying wins by $5k in Pueblo, CO.
Rent. Renting wins by $147k in Boulder, CO.

Colorado rent vs buy: state numbers