True Cost of Renting in Aurora

Aurora is Denver's largest eastern suburb and Colorado's third-largest city, offering lower rents than Denver with direct RTD light rail access to Downtown Denver, the airport, and DIA. The Fitzsimons medical campus — home to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado — is one of the largest hospital campuses in the Mountain West and anchors significant healthcare employment in the city.

Neighborhoods & Average Rents

Fitzsimons / Anschutz Medical Campus

Studio:
$1,400/mo
1 Bed:
$1,700/mo
2 Bed:
$2,300/mo

Rapidly growing medical district east of Downtown Denver; new construction apartment complexes near UCHealth and Children's Hospital. RTD light rail (H Line) stops at the campus. Parking generally included at newer buildings. Strong healthcare employment base keeps vacancy low.

Central Aurora / Colfax Corridor

Studio:
$1,000/mo
1 Bed:
$1,300/mo
2 Bed:
$1,800/mo

Most affordable Aurora neighborhoods along East Colfax; older apartment stock with diverse demographics. RTD bus access to Denver. Xcel Energy serves the area. Older buildings may have higher utility costs.

Southlands / Aurora Highlands

1 Bed:
$1,600/mo
2 Bed:
$2,200/mo

Far southeast Aurora near Southlands Mall; newer master-planned apartment complexes with suburban amenities. Car-dependent — the only Aurora area without direct light rail access. Newer construction with better energy efficiency than central Aurora.

Utility Providers

Electric
Xcel Energy
Water
Aurora Water
Internet
Comcast Xfinity, CenturyLink/Lumen, T-Mobile Home Internet

Commute & Transportation

Aurora's RTD light rail (H, R, and A Lines) provides direct access to Downtown Denver (20–30 min from Fitzsimons), Denver Tech Center (R Line), and Denver International Airport (A Line from Peoria station). I-225 loops through central Aurora, connecting to I-70 (to downtown Denver) and I-25 (to the DTC). Aurora is the departure point for the A Line to DIA — the station at 40th & Airport Boulevard is 5 miles from Fitzsimons. The Anschutz/Fitzsimons medical campus is the dominant local employer. Buckley Space Force Base is in northeast Aurora, generating military commuter traffic on Colfax and Alameda avenues.

Rental Market Overview

Aurora rents run 15–20% below comparable Denver units while offering direct light rail access — a genuine value proposition for Denver workers. The Fitzsimons medical campus buildout has driven significant new apartment supply in the medical district, but healthcare employment growth has kept absorption steady. Xcel Energy rates apply across Aurora. Water rates through Aurora Water are moderate. The Colfax corridor has older housing stock with higher utility costs and lower rents — a common trade-off in the eastern Aurora neighborhoods. Renters insurance averages $14–19/month.

Data last updated: 2026-04

Compare Apartments in Aurora

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Renting in Aurora: Common Questions

What is the average rent in Aurora?
One-bedroom apartments in Aurora range from $1,300/month in Central Aurora / Colfax Corridor to $1,700/month in Fitzsimons / Anschutz Medical Campus. Two-bedroom units range from $1,800 to $2,300/month. These are base rents — add fees, utilities, and amenity costs to get the true all-in monthly cost.
What utilities do I need to set up in Aurora?
In Aurora, electricity is provided by Xcel Energy, water by Aurora Water, and common internet providers include Comcast Xfinity, CenturyLink/Lumen, T-Mobile Home Internet. Ask the leasing office for the specific unit's average monthly bill rather than a city-wide figure — utility costs vary more by building age and insulation than by location within Aurora.
What neighborhoods are affordable in Aurora?
Central Aurora / Colfax Corridor is the most affordable of the 3 Aurora neighborhoods covered here, at $1,300/month for a one-bedroom — $400 less than Fitzsimons / Anschutz Medical Campus, roughly a 24% gap. That swing is often bigger than any fee or amenity difference between two buildings in the same neighborhood, which is why comparing across neighborhoods matters as much as comparing within one.
Is Aurora expensive to rent in?
Across the 3 neighborhoods covered here, the average one-bedroom in Aurora runs about $1,533/month before fees, utilities, and amenities are added — and those add-ons are exactly what a bare average hides. Aurora rents run 15–20% below comparable Denver units while offering direct light rail access — a genuine value proposition for Denver workers. Run the specific units you are considering through RentCompare to see the true all-in monthly cost rather than relying on an area average.

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