Wellington, CO vs King City, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

King City, CA has a modeled overall cost index 40.5% higher than Wellington, CO.

Wellington, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,440 / month
King City, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,690 / 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 Wellington, CO and King City, CA 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 Wellington, CO

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $2,502/month in King City, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $180,028 in King City, CA

Regional cost estimates: Wellington, CO uses Denver, CO. King City, CA uses San Jose, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 40.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,502

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$30.0K

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.

Wellington, CO

Population:12K

Cost Index:

95.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$462K

King City, CA

Population:14K

Cost Index:

133.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$507K

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Wellington, CO

The Centennial State

12K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 12K residents.

King City, CA

The Golden State

14K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 14K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Wellington, CO vs King City, CA

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	Wellington, CO	King City, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,579/mo	$5,900/mo	↑ $3,321more	128.8%
Transportation	$1,289/mo	$954/mo	↓ $335less	26.0%
Other	$1,565/mo	$1,237/mo	↓ $328less	21.0%
All Utilities	$492/mo	$386/mo	↓ $106less	21.6%
Groceries	$975/mo	$938/mo	↓ $37.19less	3.8%
Healthcare	$599/mo	$587/mo	↓ $12.04less	2.0%

Housing

↑ 128.8%

Wellington, CO

$2,579

King City, CA

$5,900

Difference

$3,321

Transportation

↓ 26.0%

Wellington, CO

$1,289

King City, CA

$954

Difference

$335

less

Other

↓ 21.0%

Wellington, CO

$1,565

King City, CA

$1,237

Difference

$328

less

All Utilities

↓ 21.6%

Wellington, CO

$492

King City, CA

$386

Difference

$106

less

Groceries

↓ 3.8%

Wellington, CO

$975

King City, CA

$938

Difference

$37.19

less

Healthcare

↓ 2.0%

Wellington, CO

$599

King City, CA

$587

Difference

$12.04

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,120

To$2,180

↑ $60.00

1 Bed

From$2,160

To$2,240

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$2,440

To$2,690

↑ $250

3 Bed

From$3,360

To$3,630

↑ $270

Wellington, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,160–$2,160/mo

King City, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,240–$2,240/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 Wellington, CO

$10,002

Monthly in King City, CA

$2,502

Difference

Home Values

Wellington

King City

$462K

Median Value

$507K

↓ -2.4%

YoY Change

↓ -1.4%

↑ +21.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +32.1%

Homes in King City are 10% more expensive than Wellington

Calculate payment - Wellington Calculate payment - King City

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $4.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$336

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.7%

Rate difference

Wellington, 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

King City, 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

Additional Tax Information

Wellington, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

King City, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 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

Wellington

King City

55 Moderate

Air Quality

47 Good

35.2%

Good Air Days

55.4%

95 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌡

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.0°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.0°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Wellington, CO to King City, CA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in King City, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Wellington, CO. 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 Wellington to King City moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to King City, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wellington, CO vs King City, CA

How do the cost estimates for Wellington, CO and King City, CA compare?

King City, CA has a modeled overall cost index 40.5% higher than Wellington, CO. 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 Wellington, CO, the model estimates $180,028 in King City, CA. 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 Wellington, CO and King City, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,440/month in Wellington, CO and $2,690/month in King City, CA. 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 Colorado and California on TaxTakeHome.com