Vacaville, CA vs Castle Rock, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Castle Rock, CO has a modeled overall cost index 6.6% lower than Vacaville, CA.

Vacaville, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,310 / month
Castle Rock, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,170 / 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 Vacaville, CA and Castle Rock, 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 Vacaville, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $376/month in Castle Rock, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $145,488 in Castle Rock, CO

Regional cost estimates: Vacaville, CA uses Sacramento, CA. Castle Rock, CO uses Denver, CO. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 6.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$376

Savings

Annual Impact

$4.5K

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.

Vacaville, CA

Population:103K

Cost Index:

112.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$611K

Castle Rock, CO

Population:81K

Cost Index:

104.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$604K

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Vacaville, CA

The Golden State

103K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 103K residents.

Castle Rock, CO

The Centennial State

81K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 81K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Vacaville, CA vs Castle Rock, 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	Vacaville, CA	Castle Rock, CO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,816/mo	$2,481/mo	↓ $335less	11.9%
Other	$1,544/mo	$1,506/mo	↓ $37.86less	2.5%
Groceries	$924/mo	$895/mo	↓ $28.92less	3.1%
Transportation	$1,213/mo	$1,240/mo	↑ $27.35more	2.3%
All Utilities	$463/mo	$452/mo	↓ $10.93less	2.4%
Healthcare	$541/mo	$550/mo	↑ $9.12more	1.7%

Housing

↓ 11.9%

Vacaville, CA

$2,816

Castle Rock, CO

$2,481

Difference

$335

less

Other

↓ 2.5%

Vacaville, CA

$1,544

Castle Rock, CO

$1,506

Difference

$37.86

less

Groceries

↓ 3.1%

Vacaville, CA

$924

Castle Rock, CO

$895

Difference

$28.92

less

Transportation

↑ 2.3%

Vacaville, CA

$1,213

Castle Rock, CO

$1,240

Difference

$27.35

All Utilities

↓ 2.4%

Vacaville, CA

$463

Castle Rock, CO

$452

Difference

$10.93

less

Healthcare

↑ 1.7%

Vacaville, CA

$541

Castle Rock, CO

$550

Difference

$9.12

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,680

To$1,710

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,820

To$1,820

→ $0

2 Bed

From$2,310

To$2,170

↓ $140

3 Bed

From$3,060

To$2,840

↓ $220

Vacaville, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,740–$1,900/mo

Castle Rock, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,820–$1,820/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 Vacaville, CA

$7,124

Monthly in Castle Rock, CO

$376

Difference

Home Values

Vacaville

Castle Rock

$611K

Median Value

$604K

↓ -1.6%

YoY Change

↓ -2%

↑ +16%

5-Year Change

↑ +26.2%

$571K - $650K

Price Range

$604K

Homes in Castle Rock are 1% less expensive than Vacaville

Calculate payment - Vacaville Calculate payment - Castle Rock

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

Vacaville, 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

Castle Rock, 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

Vacaville, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Castle Rock, 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

Vacaville

Castle Rock

51 Moderate

Air Quality

55 Moderate

49.7%

Good Air Days

35.2%

98 High

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊☀🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

69 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

69 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from Vacaville, CA to Castle Rock, CO

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Vacaville, CA vs Castle Rock, CO

How do the cost estimates for Vacaville, CA and Castle Rock, CO compare?

Castle Rock, CO has a modeled overall cost index 6.6% lower than Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, CA, the model estimates $145,488 in Castle Rock, 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 Vacaville, CA and Castle Rock, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,310/month in Vacaville, CA and $2,170/month in Castle Rock, 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