Utah to Colorado Moving Guide
Updated June 23, 2025

Planning a 410 mile interstate move from Utah to Colorado? This moving guide will help you compare living in Utah vs Colorado across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like limited nightlife vs vibrant city life), food & health (like Fry Sauce vs Rocky Mountain Oysters), real estate & housing (modern and craftsman vs ranch and mountain), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Colorado), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Fry Sauce and Utah Scones, but get your taste buds ready for Rocky Mountain Oysters & Bison Burgers
- Colorado housing costs are 6% more expensive than they are in Utah
- Rent in Colorado is 20.34% more expensive than in Utah
- Moving from Utah to Colorado will cost on average between $1,500 - $5,000
- Our top recommended Utah to Colorado movers is Movemasters, Inc.
Utah to Colorado Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Utah to Colorado
- Limited nightlife
- Higher smoking rates
- Dry climate
- Less diverse landscape
- Smaller cities
- Vibrant city life
- Health-conscious culture
- Four distinct seasons
- Majestic mountains
- Larger urban areas
- Higher cost of living
- More crowded places
- Heavier traffic congestion
- Higher crime rates
- Longer drives to parks
- Lower cost of living
- Community feel
- Fewer traffic jams
- Family-friendly areas
- Access to Arches
Pros of moving from Utah to Colorado
- Say goodbye to limited nightlife and hello to vibrant city life
- Look forward to moving away from higher smoking rates and moving to Colorado with its health-conscious culture
- Swap the dry climate of Utah for four distinct seasons in Colorado
- Get ready for majestic mountains in Colorado
Cons of moving from Utah to Colorado
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the lower cost of living in Utah to live with the higher cost of living in Colorado
- You'll lose out on the pro of community feel and have to settle for the con of more crowded places
- Time to bid farewell to fewer traffic jams and get used to heavier traffic congestion in Colorado
- Swap family-friendly areas for higher crime rates
Utah vs. Colorado: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Utah | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Fry Sauce | Rocky Mountain Oysters |
Most popular meat dish | Utah Scones | Bison Burgers |
Most popular street food item | Navajo Tacos | Mexican Street Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Vegan Burritos | Jackfruit Tacos |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
|
|
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | 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 Utah to Colorado, you will be trading the iconic Fry Sauce of Utah for the equally delicious Rocky Mountain Oysters of Colorado. And while the locals in Utah rave about their flavorful Utah Scones and sumptuous Navajo Tacos, Colorado residents know they have tasty Bison Burgers and Mexican Street Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan Burritos they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Jackfruit Tacos of Colorado. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Utah eateries like Red Iguana, High West Distillery, and Caputo's Market and Deli. After the boxes are unpacked in Colorado, don't wait too long before making your way to Colorado's acclaimed eateries like Frasca Food and Wine, Beast + Bottle, and Snooze, an A.M. Eatery.
When comparing lifestyles, Colorado shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Utah. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Colorado compared to what you are used to in Utah. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Colorado.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Utah and Colorado
Comparison | Utah | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Modern and Craftsman | Ranch and Mountain |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Spacious kitchens, natural light | Eco-friendly features, outdoor space |
- The Modern and Craftsman architecture that Utah is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Mountain architecture typical of Colorado.
- Compared to Utah's real estate listings that commonly reference spacious kitchens and natural light, Colorado real estate listings often highlight features like eco-friendly features and outdoor space.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes; Colorado is more walkable than Utah.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike; Colorado is more bike-friendly than Utah.
- Colorado has more of an urban feel than Utah.
- Colorado housing costs are 6% more expensive than they are in Utah, with a median home price of $549,126 compared to Utahβs $519,182.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Colorado have increased by 40% compared to a 56% increase in Utah.
- Rent in Colorado is 20.34% more expensive than in Utah.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Utah and Colorado
Comparison | Utah | 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 | Earthquakes, Wildfires | Wildfires, Floods |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 60Β°F | 85Β°F / 56Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 37Β°F / 22Β°F | 45Β°F / 18Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 20" | 16.5" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 56" | 60" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Utah to Colorado. Colorado gets 10% more sunshine days than Utah.
- Colorado has lower humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Utah.
- Say goodbye to the possible earthquakes and wildfires in Utah, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and floods in Colorado.
- The average summer high temperature in Colorado is the same as Utah.
- The average winter lows are 4 degrees colder than they are in Utah.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Colorado. Colorado receives 3.5 fewer inches of rain compared to Utah.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Utah and Colorado
Comparison | Utah | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $89,168 | $89,302 |
Cost of Living Index | 95.75 | 98.3 |
State Income Tax | 4.95 | 4.63 - 5 |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.6 | 0.55 |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.1 | 7.65 |
Top 3 Industries | Mining, Construction, Tech | Aerospace, Tech, Tourism |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Colorado tend to earn about 0% more than in Utah
- The COLI in Colorado is 3% higher than what you are used to living in Utah
- The state income tax in CO is between 4.63% and 5% compared to 4.95% in UT
- The affluence in Colorado is high compared to moderate in Utah
- The poverty level is moderate in Colorado compared to low in Utah
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Utah and moderate in Colorado
Political and Religious Climate in Utah vs. Colorado
Comparison | Utah | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Conservatively inclined | Swing state, trending liberal |
Local Politics | Republican majority in local governments | Diverse, with Democratic dominance in urban areas |
Religion | Largely LDS (Mormon) | Mixed, with a significant unaffiliated population |
- Utah tends to lean conservatively in its political climate
- Colorado, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state, trending liberal
- Colorado's religious environment can be described as mixed, with a significant unaffiliated population
- Utah's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as largely LDS (Mormon)
Education Guide When Moving from Utah to Colorado
Comparison | Utah | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Utah Salt Lake City; Brigham Young University Provo; Utah State University Logan | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder; Colorado State University Fort Collins; University of Denver Denver |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Canyon Rim Academy Salt Lake City; Oakridge Elementary Salt Lake City; Willow Springs Elementary Draper | Bromwell Elementary Denver; Cherry Hills Village Elementary Cherry Hills Village; High Peaks Elementary Boulder |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Edgemont Elementary Provo; Indian Hills Middle Sandy; Bear River Middle Garrett | DSA (Denver School of the Arts) Denver; Preston Middle School Fort Collins; Summit Middle Charter Boulder |
Top 3 High Schools | Academy for Math Engineering & Science Salt Lake City; Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science Layton; Itineris Early College High West Jordan | Cherry Creek High School Greenwood Village; Fairview High School Boulder; Grandview High School Aurora |
Top 3 private high schools | Rowland Hall Salt Lake City; The Madeleine Choir School Salt Lake City; Waterford School Sandy | The Colorado Springs School Colorado Springs; Fountain Valley School of Colorado Colorado Springs; Kent Denver School Englewood |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Waterford School Sandy; Rowland Hall Salt Lake City; The Madeleine Choir School Salt Lake City | Kent Denver School Englewood; The Colorado Springs School Colorado Springs; Fountain Valley School of Colorado Colorado Springs |
Top 3 School Districts | Park City School District Park City; Davis School District Farmington; Canyons School District Sandy | Boulder Valley School District Boulder; Cherry Creek School District Greenwood Village; Douglas County School District Castle Rock |
How Much Do Utah to Colorado Movers Cost?
Moving 410 miles from Utah to Colorado will typically cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $5,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-9.5 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: 801 Moving Company
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,435 | 300 ft3 | $4.78 |
1 Bedroom | $2,130 | 450 ft3 | $4.73 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,512 | 750 ft3 | $4.68 |
3 Bedrooms | $5,096 | 1100 ft3 | $4.63 |
4 Bedrooms | $7,333 | 1600 ft3 | $4.58 |
5+ Bedrooms | $8,160 | 1800 ft3 | $4.53 |
Top Utah to Colorado Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Utah to Colorado movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.