New York to Colorado Moving Guide
Updated June 8, 2025

Planning a 1,855 mile interstate move from New York to Colorado? This moving guide will help you compare living in New York vs Colorado across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower housing costs), food & health (like New York-style Pizza vs Green Chili), real estate & housing (art deco, brownstone vs mountain modern, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in New York), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to New York-style Pizza and Beef Steak, but get your taste buds ready for Green Chili & Bison
- Colorado housing costs are 19% more expensive than they are in New York
- Rent in Colorado is 18.89% more affordable than in New York
- Moving from New York to Colorado will cost on average between $2,500 - $8,000
- Our top recommended New York to Colorado movers is JP Urban Moving
New York to Colorado Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from New York to Colorado
- High cost of living
- Overcrowded spaces
- Noisy environment
- Limited outdoor activities
- Lower housing costs
- Spacious surroundings
- Peaceful nature
- Abundant hiking trails
- Fewer entertainment venues
- Limited food variety
- Less cultural diversity
- Limited transport options
- Vibrant nightlife
- Diverse cuisine
- Rich cultural scene
- Excellent public transit
Pros of moving from New York to Colorado
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to lower housing costs
- Look forward to moving away from overcrowded spaces and moving to Colorado with spacious surroundings
- Swap the noisy environment of New York for peaceful nature in Colorado
- Get ready for abundant hiking trails in Colorado
Cons of moving from New York to Colorado
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the vibrant nightlife in New York to live with fewer entertainment venues in Colorado
- You'll lose out on the pro of diverse cuisine and have to settle for the con of limited food variety
- Time to bid farewell to the rich cultural scene and get used to less cultural diversity in Colorado
- Swap excellent public transit for limited transport options
New York vs. Colorado: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | New York-style Pizza | Green Chili |
Most popular meat dish | Beef Steak | Bison |
Most popular street food item | Hot Dogs | Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Avocado Toast | Quinoa Salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
|
|
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness (out of 10) | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks (out of 10) | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene (out of 10) | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly (out of 10) | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from New York to Colorado, you will be trading the iconic New York-style pizza of New York for the equally delicious green chili of Colorado. And while the locals in New York rave about their flavorful beef steak and sumptuous hot dogs, Colorado residents know they have tasty bison and tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the avocado toast they've grown to love, they can get ready for the quinoa salad of Colorado. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic New York eateries like Katz's Delicatessen, Peter Luger Steak House, and Caracas Arepa Bar. After the boxes are unpacked in Colorado, don't wait too long before making your way to Colorado's acclaimed eateries like Buckhorn Exchange, Rioja, and Root Down.
When comparing lifestyles, Colorado shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than New York. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Colorado compared to what you are used to in New York. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Colorado.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between New York and Colorado
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Art Deco, Brownstone | Mountain Modern, Craftsman |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Close to subway, City views | Mountain views, Outdoor activities |
- The Art Deco and Brownstone architecture that New York is known for will be replaced with the Mountain Modern and Craftsman architecture typical of Colorado.
- Compared to New York's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to the subway and city views, Colorado real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and outdoor activities.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away; Colorado is less walkable than New York.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Colorado is more bike-friendly than New York.
- Colorado has less of an urban feel than New York.
- Colorado housing costs are 19% more expensive than they are in New York, with a median home price of $549,126 compared to New Yorkβs $460,812.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Colorado have increased by 40% compared to a 36% increase in New York.
- Rent in Colorado is 18.89% more affordable than in New York.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between New York and Colorado
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Blizzards | Wildfires, Blizzards |
Air Quality | Moderate | Good |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 84Β°F / 66Β°F | 86Β°F / 54Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 39Β°F / 26Β°F | 45Β°F / 18Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 49.9 | 15.6 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 25.3 | 60.3 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from New York to Colorado. Colorado gets 34% more sunshine days than New York.
- Colorado has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to New York.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and blizzards in New York, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and blizzards in Colorado.
- The average summer high temperature in Colorado is 2 degrees warmer than in New York.
- The average winter lows in Colorado are 8 degrees colder than they are in New York.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Colorado. Colorado receives 34.3 fewer inches of rain compared to New York.
Financial & Community Snapshot: New York and Colorado
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $79,557 | $89,302 |
Cost of Living Index | 102.8 | 98.3 |
State Income Tax | 4% - 8.82% | 4.4% |
Avg. Property Tax | 1.4% | 0.52% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 8.52% | 7.65% |
Top 3 Industries | Finance, Healthcare, Tech | Energy, Tech, Agriculture |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Moderate | Lower |
Homelessness | High | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Colorado tend to earn about 12% more than those in New York
- The COLI in Colorado is 4% lower than what you are used to living in New York
- The state income tax in CO is 4.4% compared to 4% to 8.82% in NY
- The affluence in Colorado is moderate compared to high in New York
- The poverty level is lower in Colorado compared to moderate in New York
- In terms of homelessness, it is high in New York and moderate in Colorado
Political and Religious Climate in New York vs. Colorado
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Predominantly Democratic | Swing State |
Local Politics | Liberal Policies | Mixed Policies |
Religion | Diverse Religions | Christian Majority |
- New York tends to lean predominantly Democratic in its political climate
- Colorado, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state
- Colorado's religious environment can be described as a Christian majority
- New York's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as diverse religions
Education Guide When Moving from New York to Colorado
Comparison | New York | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | New York University Columbia University University at Buffalo | University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University University of Denver |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | PS 77 Lower Lab School (New York City) Success Academy Charter School (Bronx) Anderson School (New York City) | Paddington Station (Denver) Cory Elementary School (Denver) Slavens K-8 School (Denver) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | The Anderson School (New York City) East Side Middle School (New York City) NEST+m (New York City) | DSA - Denver School of the Arts (Denver) Challenge School (Denver) Platt Middle School (Boulder) |
Top 3 High Schools | Stuyvesant High School (New York City) Bronx High School of Science (Bronx) Brooklyn Technical High School (Brooklyn) | Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village) Fairview High School (Boulder) Grandview High School (Aurora) |
Top 3 private high schools | Trinity School (New York City) Horace Mann School (Bronx) The Spence School (New York City) | The Colorado Springs School (Colorado Springs) Fountain Valley School (Colorado Springs) Kent Denver School (Englewood) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Chapin School (New York City) The Brearley School (New York City) Collegiate School (New York City) | Colorado Academy (Denver) The Denver Waldorf School (Denver) Boulder Country Day School (Boulder) |
Top 3 School Districts | Scarsdale Union Free School District Jericho Union Free School District Syosset Central School District | Boulder Valley School District Cherry Creek School District Littleton Public Schools |
How Much Do New York to Colorado Movers Cost?
Moving 1,855 miles from New York to Colorado will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $8,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-8 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Magical Moving & Storage
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,254 | 300 ft3 | $7.51 |
1 Bedroom | $3,359 | 450 ft3 | $7.46 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,560 | 750 ft3 | $7.41 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,100 | 1100 ft3 | $7.36 |
4 Bedrooms | $11,702 | 1600 ft3 | $7.31 |
5+ Bedrooms | $13,075 | 1800 ft3 | $7.26 |
Top New York to Colorado Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best New York to Colorado movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.