How much does it cost to commute in Denver?
In the Denver metro area, households spend about 41.0% of income on the combined cost of housing and transportation, with transportation alone accounting for roughly 15.0% of income — about $14,820 per year for a typical household. (Source: CNT Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, area-median-income household.)
Public-transit fares near downtown Denver range from $1.00 to $103.00, with a median single-trip fare of $11.50 across 5 agencies and 951 priced origin-destination fare pairs in the data. Bike-share is available via Lyft Bikes & Scooters, priced at $1.00 to unlock plus $0.15 per minute.
Driving downtown means paying about $14.49 a day to park (median of 40 sampled garages). The region has 7 priced toll facilities, with rates from $4.00 to $16.00. On a simple daily round-trip basis from the data here, the lowest-cost option is using bike-share at about $8.00 per day.
Cost by mode in Denver
Daily round-trip cost, lowest first. All figures.
| Mode | Daily round trip | How it's priced |
|---|---|---|
| Bike-shareCheapest | $8.00 | Lyft Bikes & Scooters: 2 x (unlock $1.00 + 20 min @ $0.15/min) |
| Drive (park + toll) | $22.49 | downtown parking $14.49/day + 2 x lowest priced toll ($4.00) |
| Public transit | $23.00 | 2 x median transit fare ($11.50) |
Public transit fares
| Agency | Fares | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bustang Outrider | 782 | $11.00 | $1.00–$45.00 |
| Colorado Department of Transportation | 135 | $12.00 | $1.00–$43.00 |
| Groome Transportation | 28 | $50.00 | $30.00–$97.00 |
| Home James | 12 | $88.00 | $78.00–$103.00 |
| Epic Mountain Express | 3 | $89.00 | $49.00–$99.00 |
Bike-share
A typical 20-minute ride costs about $4.00.
Toll roads near Denver
7 priced toll facilities, rates from $4.00 to $16.00.
| Facility | Operator | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| E-470 (Denver Ring Road) | E-470 Public Highway Authority | $16.00 |
| Northwest Parkway | Plenary Roads Denver | $5.00 |
| US 36 Express Lanes (Boulder-Westminster) | Colorado Transportation Investment Office | $4.00 |
| I-25 North Express Lanes (Berthoud-Ft Collins) | CDOT/HPTE | — |
| I-25 Central Express Lanes (Denver) | CDOT/HPTE | — |
| I-70 Mountain Express Lane (Idaho Springs-Empire) | CDOT/HPTE | — |
| C-470 Express Lanes (SW Denver) | CDOT/HPTE | — |
Downtown parking
Housing + Transportation affordability
The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for housing + transportation combined. Source: CNT H+T Index (AMI household). Typical household drives 16,274 miles/yr.
The numbers above are metro-wide medians. Enter your real origin and destination to compare drive, transit, park-and-ride, bike, and Uber by actual dollars — gas, tolls, parking, and fares included.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to commute by transit in Denver?
The median single-trip transit fare in the Denver area is $11.50, ranging from $1.00 to $103.00 depending on the agency and trip distance. A daily round trip costs roughly $23.00.
Is it cheaper to drive or take transit in Denver?
Taking transit costs about $23.00 for a daily round trip, while driving and parking downtown costs about $22.49 per day (parking $14.49 plus tolls from $4.00). Driving is the cheaper option on a daily basis.
How much is daily parking in downtown Denver?
Downtown Denver parking costs about $14.49 per day, or $221.45 per month for a reserved spot, based on 40 sampled garages.
What are the toll roads near Denver and what do they cost?
The Denver region has 7 priced toll facilities. The highest-rate facility is E-470 (Denver Ring Road) (E-470 Public Highway Authority) at $16.00. Rates across the region run from $4.00 to $16.00.
How much does bike-share cost in Denver?
Lyft Bikes & Scooters bike-share in Denver costs $1.00 to unlock plus $0.15 per minute. A 20-minute ride costs about $4.00.
What share of income goes to housing and transportation in Denver?
In the Denver metro, a typical household spends about 41.0% of income on housing and transportation combined, with 15.0% on transportation alone — roughly $14,820 per year. The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for H+T combined.