Off-campus versus on-campus housing costs

Predicting the costs over fours years here, particularly for OOS, and Room and Board sure add a lot. Can anyone comment, can those costs be significantly reduced if students move off campus and/or reduce the meal plan? For example, can they purchase a partial meal plan and make up the difference by making meals in their off-campus apartments? I know housing is very pricey in Boulder, so I do not want to make the assumption that moving off-campus saves money!