Virginia Local Expert
Laura Gray
“I arrived in Virginia in 1988 with a teaching job, a love of sunshine, and zero idea I’d still be…”
Read more about me
Relocating from Virginia to Colorado: Is It Worth What You'll Spend?
Trading the Blue Ridge Mountains for the Rockies feels like a natural swap on paper, but Virginia and Colorado offer two genuinely different ways of life once you settle in. Virginia blends Southern charm with East Coast energy, giving residents a mix of historic small towns, dense suburbs around Washington D.C., and a coastline along the Chesapeake Bay. Colorado, on the other hand, pulls people in with outdoor adventure, a more relaxed western pace, and some of the most dramatic scenery in the country. The altitude alone will remind you daily that this is not just a change of address. Our Snappy Scout team (Laura & Heidi) dug into the costs, logistics, and lifestyle shifts you should expect before loading up the moving truck.
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Driving Your Own Move from Virginia to Colorado
Average distance
1,750miles
Typical route
I-70 W and I-64 W are the major highways you'd drive to get from Virginia to Colorado
Popular moving routes (approx. driving distance):
Richmond, VA → Denver, CO
~1750 miles
Virginia Beach, VA → Denver, CO
~1900 miles
Norfolk, VA → Colorado Springs, CO
~1900 miles
Roanoke, VA → Denver, CO
~1600 miles
Charlottesville, VA → Aurora, CO
~1700 miles
Should You Move From Virginia to Colorado Quiz
Take this 10 question quiz to find out if the move to Colorado from Virginia is the right call for your lifestyle and preferences.
Progress1 of 10 questions
Question 1 of 10
What kind of weather makes you happiest?
0/10answered
Live score
Collecting your answers and forming an opinion. Answer another question to see the results.
How Much Should You Budget for a Virginia to Colorado Move?
Moving 1,750 miles from Virginia to Colorado will typically cost between $2,500.00 and $4,500.00 to hire full service movers. See the breakdown below by home size.
Expected Range
$2,500.00–$4,500.00
Expected Time
4–11days
Cost by home size
Studio
$1,270.00
1 Bedroom
$1,870.00
2 Bedrooms
$3,080.00
3 Bedrooms
$4,460.00
4 Bedrooms
$6,410.00
5+ Bedrooms
$7,120.00
| Home Size | Moving Cost | Volume (ft³) | $/ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,270.00 | 300 | $4.23 |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,870.00 | 450 | $4.16 |
| 2 Bedrooms | $3,080.00 | 750 | $4.11 |
| 3 Bedrooms | $4,460.00 | 1,100 | $4.05 |
| 4 Bedrooms | $6,410.00 | 1,600 | $4.01 |
| 5+ Bedrooms | $7,120.00 | 1,800 | $3.96 |
How we calculated these numbers: We reached out to the owners and operators of more than a dozen nationwide moving companies to figure out how they factor in mileage, weight, volume, timing, origin & termination locations, and approximate home sizes to determine a moving estimate. The results above are what the data nerds at Snappy Scout created based on that info.
That's the average.
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Is Colorado Right for Your Personality?
Well, it depends. If you're a CrossFit Regular, Craft Beer Fan, or Surfer Dude, you'll thrive in your move to Colorado. But if you're more of a Beach Bum, College Student, or Foodie, settling into your new home state may be a bit of a challenge. We scored a variety of different “personalities” on a 10-point scale to show you what to expect from a lifestyle perspective with a relocation from Virginia to Colorado.
Top 3 winners and losers moving from VA to CO
Fitness
Virginia
7.5
/10
Colorado
9
/10
Virginia
Giving up
Boxes near Town Center, Del Ray, and Mill Mountain.
Colorado
Gaining
High altitude training and Olympic Training Center fuel gains.
Recommended CO cities/areas for CrossFit Regulars
DenverColorado Springs
Virginia
7.5
/10
Colorado
9
/10
Craft Beer Culture
Virginia
8.5
/10
Colorado
9.5
/10
Virginia
Giving up
The Veil haze, Hardywood barrels, Commonwealth pours.
Colorado
Gaining
Great American Beer Festival and New Belgium Brewing reign.
Recommended CO cities/areas for Craft Beer Fans
DenverFort CollinsBoulder
Virginia
8.5
/10
Colorado
9.5
/10
Surfing
Virginia
3
/10
Colorado
4
/10
Virginia
Giving up
Sandbridge sessions exist, but swells rarely scream Pipeline.
Colorado
Gaining
South Platte River waves exist but it's no ocean swell (very niche).
Recommended CO cities/areas for Surfer Dudes
Denver river surfing
Virginia
3
/10
Colorado
4
/10
Beach Culture
Virginia
4
/10
Colorado
2.5
/10
Virginia
Giving up
Boardwalk energy, but mellow surf, occasional jellyfish parades.
Colorado
Gaining
Lakes offer swimming but landlocked mountains aren't coastal paradise.
Recommended CO cities/areas for Beach Bums
Boulder Reservoir
Virginia
4
/10
Colorado
2.5
/10
University Life
Virginia
9
/10
Colorado
8
/10
Virginia
Giving up
UVA rotunda, Hokies Enter Sandman, W&M colonial quads.
Colorado
Gaining
CU Buffs pride and CSU Rams spirit fuel campus life.
Recommended CO cities/areas for College Students
BoulderFort CollinsDenver
Virginia
9
/10
Colorado
8
/10
Foodies
Virginia
9
/10
Colorado
8
/10
Virginia
Giving up
The Roosevelt, Doumar's cones, Eden Center pho crawl.
Colorado
Gaining
Mercantile Dining and farm-to-table spots deliver mountain cuisine.
Recommended CO cities/areas for Foodies
DenverBoulderAspen
Virginia
9
/10
Colorado
8
/10
Local Perspective
What moment, smell, or ritual captures the soul of Colorado?
It’s the first breath when I get back from traveling. Colorado air is thin and dry, but it somehow feels lighter and cleaner. Everywhere else feels heavier, and coming home makes it feel easier to breathe again.
– Heidi Lim
Colorado Local
Lifestyle differences between living in Virginia and living in Colorado
VirginiaColorado
How People Really Eat in Virginia and Colorado
Eating Like a Local in Virginia
What do locals actually order in the Hampton Roads area: White dip with their Mexican chips, She Crab Soup, and an Orange Crush, a one-of-a-kind kind of drink.
Laura GrayVirginia Local ExpertEating Like a Local in Colorado
Order cautiously: Rocky Mountain Oysters are NOT oysters. They’re bull testicles. But they’re deep-fried, and let’s be honest, anything deep-fried has a fighting chance.
Heidi LimColorado Local ExpertColorado looking like
the right move?
There’s one more number worth knowing: what it’ll cost to get there.
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How Your Taxes Transform When You Move to Colorado from Virginia
Virginia
Colorado
VirginiavsColorado
State Income Tax
State Income TaxProgressive 2% to 5.75%, top rate over $17k income
Flat 4.4% on all income
Virginia
Progressive 2% to 5.75%, top rate over $17k income
VS
Colorado
Flat 4.4% on all income
Property Taxes
Property TaxesHigher in Northern Virginia suburbs, lower in Shenandoah, Southside, Eastern Shore
Broomfield and Boulder areas higher, rural counties lower
Virginia
Higher in Northern Virginia suburbs, lower in Shenandoah, Southside, Eastern Shore
VS
Colorado
Broomfield and Boulder areas higher, rural counties lower
The No-Nonsense People, Politics, & Religion Comparison: Virginia vs Colorado
Virginia
Colorado
VirginiavsColorado
People
PeoplePolite, history obsessed, NOVA fast paced, coastal easygoing, mountain neighborly, military strong
Casual and low-key, friendly but hands-off, and deeply appreciative of sunshine and flexible plans
Virginia
Polite, history obsessed, NOVA fast paced, coastal easygoing, mountain neighborly, military strong
VS
Colorado
Casual and low-key, friendly but hands-off, and deeply appreciative of sunshine and flexible plans
Politics
Purple statewide, NOVA, Richmond, Hampton Roads blue, Southwest, Shenandoah, Southside reliably red
Purple turned blue, Front Range liberal, Western Slope conservative
Virginia
Purple statewide, NOVA, Richmond, Hampton Roads blue, Southwest, Shenandoah, Southside reliably red
VS
Colorado
Purple turned blue, Front Range liberal, Western Slope conservative
Religion
ReligionMostly Christian, Baptist and Catholic strong, rising unaffiliated, notable Muslim and Hindu in NOVA
Mostly Christian with large unaffiliated population, growing secular
Virginia
Mostly Christian, Baptist and Catholic strong, rising unaffiliated, notable Muslim and Hindu in NOVA
VS
Colorado
Mostly Christian with large unaffiliated population, growing secular
How Climate Hit Different When You Move to Colorado from Virginia
SUMMER
Virginia
sweet tea sauna (Chesapeake breathes on you, Roanoke bakes by noon)
Colorado
crispy mornings, scorching afternoons (90s on the Front Range)
WINTER
Virginia
coat roulette (Blue Ridge bites, Hampton Roads shrugs and rains)
Colorado
bluebird perfection interrupted by arctic blasts (mountains stay frozen)
My Favorite Thing About Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall in Colorado
The transition from summer to fall is one of my favorite times of year. The leaves turn, the air cools just enough, and driving through the mountains for leaf peeping feels like a warm, cozy hug before winter settles in.
Heidi LimColorado Local Expert✧ You've researched the move ✧
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Next Steps
Learn More About Moving to Colorado
By now, you're hopefully fully aware that at Snappy Scout, our moving guides aren't like the rest! Now that you've compared the aspects of leaving behind Virginia, take a deeper dive into the specifics of moving to Colorado. No boring census stats... we promise! Just practical real advice from Colorado local experts.
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