San Pablo, CA vs Lafayette, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lafayette, CO has a modeled overall cost index 34.1% lower than San Pablo, CA.

San Pablo, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,510 / month
Lafayette, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,220 / 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 San Pablo, CA and Lafayette, 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 San Pablo, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $2,544/month in Lafayette, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $119,470 in Lafayette, CO

Regional cost estimates: San Pablo, CA uses Oakland, CA. Lafayette, CO uses Denver, CO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 34.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,544

Savings

Annual Impact

$30.5K

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.

San Pablo, CA

Population:31K

Cost Index:

155.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$562K

Lafayette, CO

Population:30K

Cost Index:

102.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$655K

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San Pablo, CA

The Golden State

31K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 31K residents.

Lafayette, CO

The Centennial State

30K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 30K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: San Pablo, CA vs Lafayette, 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	San Pablo, CA	Lafayette, CO	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,678/mo	$1,721/mo	↓ $1,957less	53.2%
Transportation	$1,286/mo	$860/mo	↓ $425less	33.1%
Groceries	$711/mo	$628/mo	↓ $83.43less	11.7%
Other	$1,117/mo	$1,045/mo	↓ $72.27less	6.5%
Healthcare	$433/mo	$385/mo	↓ $47.91less	11.1%
All Utilities	$275/mo	$317/mo	↑ $41.70more	15.2%

Housing

↓ 53.2%

San Pablo, CA

$3,678

Lafayette, CO

$1,721

Difference

$1,957

less

Transportation

↓ 33.1%

San Pablo, CA

$1,286

Lafayette, CO

$860

Difference

$425

less

Groceries

↓ 11.7%

San Pablo, CA

$711

Lafayette, CO

$628

Difference

$83.43

less

Other

↓ 6.5%

San Pablo, CA

$1,117

Lafayette, CO

$1,045

Difference

$72.27

less

Healthcare

↓ 11.1%

San Pablo, CA

$433

Lafayette, CO

$385

Difference

$47.91

less

All Utilities

↑ 15.2%

San Pablo, CA

$275

Lafayette, CO

$317

Difference

$41.70

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,850

To$1,620

↓ $230

1 Bed

From$2,060

To$1,880

↓ $180

2 Bed

From$2,510

To$2,220

↓ $290

3 Bed

From$3,210

To$2,950

↓ $260

San Pablo, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,060–$2,060/mo

Lafayette, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,880–$1,880/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 San Pablo, CA

$4,956

Monthly in Lafayette, CO

$2,544

Difference

Home Values

San Pablo

Lafayette

$562K

Median Value

$655K

↓ -6.9%

YoY Change

↓ -3.6%

↑ +3.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +20.5%

Homes in Lafayette are 17% more expensive than San Pablo

Calculate payment - San Pablo Calculate payment - Lafayette

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

San Pablo, 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

Lafayette, 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

San Pablo, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Lafayette, 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

San Pablo

Lafayette

49 Good

Air Quality

55 Moderate

53%

Good Air Days

35.2%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

95 High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from San Pablo, CA to Lafayette, CO

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lafayette, CO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in San Pablo, 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 San Pablo to Lafayette moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: San Pablo, CA vs Lafayette, CO

How do the cost estimates for San Pablo, CA and Lafayette, CO compare?

Lafayette, CO has a modeled overall cost index 34.1% lower than San Pablo, 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 San Pablo, CA, the model estimates $119,470 in Lafayette, 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 San Pablo, CA and Lafayette, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,510/month in San Pablo, CA and $2,220/month in Lafayette, 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