Palm Desert, CA vs Broomfield, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Broomfield, CO has a modeled overall cost index 1.2% lower than Palm Desert, CA.

Palm Desert, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,330 / month
Broomfield, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,360 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Palm Desert, CA and Broomfield, CO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Palm Desert, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $443/month in Broomfield, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $144,690 in Broomfield, CO

Regional cost estimates: Palm Desert, CA uses San Bernardino, CA. Broomfield, CO uses Denver, CO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$443

Savings

Annual Impact

$5.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Palm Desert, CA

Population:52K

Cost Index:

105.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$524K

Broomfield, CO

Population:77K

Cost Index:

104.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$561K

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Palm Desert, CA

The Golden State

52K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 52K residents.

Broomfield, CO

The Centennial State

77K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 77K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Palm Desert, CA vs Broomfield, CO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Palm Desert, CA	Broomfield, CO	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,870/mo	$1,229/mo	↓ $641less	34.3%
Housing	$2,330/mo	$2,458/mo	↑ $128more	5.5%
Other	$1,421/mo	$1,492/mo	↑ $70.63more	5.0%
Healthcare	$482/mo	$545/mo	↑ $62.24more	12.9%
All Utilities	$488/mo	$447/mo	↓ $40.22less	8.2%
Groceries	$909/mo	$887/mo	↓ $22.13less	2.4%

Transportation

↓ 34.3%

Palm Desert, CA

$1,870

Broomfield, CO

$1,229

Difference

$641

less

Housing

↑ 5.5%

Palm Desert, CA

$2,330

Broomfield, CO

$2,458

Difference

$128

Other

↑ 5.0%

Palm Desert, CA

$1,421

Broomfield, CO

$1,492

Difference

$70.63

Healthcare

↑ 12.9%

Palm Desert, CA

$482

Broomfield, CO

$545

Difference

$62.24

All Utilities

↓ 8.2%

Palm Desert, CA

$488

Broomfield, CO

$447

Difference

$40.22

less

Groceries

↓ 2.4%

Palm Desert, CA

$909

Broomfield, CO

$887

Difference

$22.13

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,790

To$1,860

↑ $70.00

1 Bed

From$1,880

To$1,980

↑ $100

2 Bed

From$2,330

To$2,360

↑ $30.00

3 Bed

From$3,080

To$3,090

↑ $10.00

Palm Desert, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,880–$1,880/mo

Broomfield, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,980–$1,980/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Palm Desert, CA

$7,057

Monthly in Broomfield, CO

$443

Difference

Home Values

Palm Desert

Broomfield

$524K

Median Value

$561K

↓ -3%

YoY Change

↓ -1.9%

↑ +32.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +22.6%

Homes in Broomfield are 7% more expensive than Palm Desert

Calculate payment - Palm Desert Calculate payment - Broomfield

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$336

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.7%

Rate difference

Palm Desert, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Broomfield, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Additional Tax Information

Palm Desert, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Broomfield, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Palm Desert

Broomfield

87 Moderate

Air Quality

55 Moderate

10.9%

Good Air Days

35.2%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

95 High

🔥🌊🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

100 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

100 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from Palm Desert, CA to Broomfield, CO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Broomfield, CO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Palm Desert, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Palm Desert to Broomfield moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Broomfield, CO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Palm Desert, CA vs Broomfield, CO

How do the cost estimates for Palm Desert, CA and Broomfield, CO compare?

Broomfield, CO has a modeled overall cost index 1.2% lower than Palm Desert, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Palm Desert, CA, the model estimates $144,690 in Broomfield, CO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Palm Desert, CA and Broomfield, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,330/month in Palm Desert, CA and $2,360/month in Broomfield, CO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between California and Colorado on TaxTakeHome.com