What apartments actually cost in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood and the suburbs right now, from a working apartment locator's own unit-level data.
In early October 2026, the median advertised rent for a one-bedroom across the Denver metro is about $1,980 a month. A studio is about $1,655, a two-bedroom about $2,650, and a three-bedroom about $3,125. Denver proper costs more than Aurora and most suburbs for a one-bedroom, and about 7 in 10 communities are advertising a move-in special.
| Area | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 1,660 | 2,139 | 2,975 | 2,994 |
| Aurora | 1,491* | 1,690 | 2,382 | 3,045 |
| Lakewood | n/a | 1,677 | 2,315 | n/a |
| Other Denver-metro suburbs | 1,768 | 1,905 | 2,381 | 3,272 |
| Whole metro (all of the above) | 1,655 | 1,980 | 2,652 | 3,125 |
Median advertised monthly rent in dollars, units available the week of October 4, 2026. * Only 5 communities. n/a means too few communities to publish a fair number. Other suburbs include Arvada, Northglenn, Littleton, Englewood, Golden, Broomfield, Westminster, Lone Tree, Parker, Centennial and nearby.
These are asking prices, not guarantees. They come from my own pull of available units at 127 professionally managed apartment communities across the metro on October 4, 2026 (4,447 units). That is a large slice of the market that is actually leasing right now, but it is not every rental. Single-family homes, small landlords and older buildings are not included.
Median means the middle. Half the units cost less and half cost more. I use the median instead of the average because a few luxury penthouses can pull an average up and make a normal apartment look more expensive than it is.
Rent is the base rent. Where a community only advertises an all-in price, I used that price. Parking, pet rent, trash, valet waste and other monthly fees can add roughly $50 to $250, so always ask for the total monthly cost.
Small samples. Three-bedrooms in Denver proper are a small group, so treat that number as a rough guide. I left out any group with fewer than five communities.
Aurora is the budget move inside the metro. A one-bedroom in Aurora is a median of $1,690 versus $2,139 in Denver proper, about $450 a month less, or roughly $5,400 a year before specials. The gap is smaller for studios and larger for two-bedrooms ($2,382 versus $2,975).
Denver has the widest range. The middle half of Denver one-bedrooms runs from about $1,875 to $2,520. Aurora's middle half is much tighter, about $1,635 to $1,775. In Denver, which building and which neighborhood you pick matters more than the city name.
The suburbs split the difference. Suburban one-bedrooms (median $1,905) sit between Aurora and Denver, and suburban three-bedrooms are the most expensive group because they tend to be newer, larger townhome-style homes.
About 71% of the communities in my pull were advertising some kind of move-in special on October 4. By area: Aurora 88%, Lakewood 80%, other suburbs 77%, Denver proper 67%. The usual deals are weeks of free base rent, a reduced deposit, or waived fees.
A special like "6 weeks free on a 12-month lease" is worth roughly 12% off the year, which can turn a $2,000 listing into an effective $1,770. Specials usually apply to certain floor plans and lease lengths, and they change weekly. That is why I compare effective rent (the real monthly cost after specials and fees), not just the number on the website.
Most Denver apartment communities want verifiable income of about 2.5 to 3 times the monthly rent. At the metro median one-bedroom of $1,980, that means roughly $5,000 to $6,000 a month before taxes. If you have an ITIN, limited credit or a past eviction, requirements differ by property. We ask each community before you pay any application fee. Approval is always the property's decision.
Want the real numbers for your budget? Text or call Juan David at 720-560-2740. Free for renters, because the apartment community pays the locator.