Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Chicago?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Chicago, IL's $1,470, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Chicago?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $50,000 in Chicago.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Chicago?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Chicago under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Casper vs Chicago Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Chicago

Illinois

$1,470/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,470 in Chicago, IL. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Chicago, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $75,134 in Chicago, IL — about 8% higher in Chicago, IL. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Chicago, IL

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,186

+62% in Chicago, IL

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,258

+65% in Chicago, IL

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,406

+51% in Chicago, IL

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,554

+20% in Chicago, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$315,200

+26% in Chicago, IL

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$75,134

+9% in Chicago, IL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$54,720

+12% in Chicago, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

35.7 yr

+1.3 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

45.5%

+24.8 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

43.3%

+13.3 pp in Chicago, IL

Avg Commute

16.9 min

33.5 min

+16.6 min in Chicago, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

539.8

+79% in Chicago, IL

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,489.9

+64% in Chicago, IL

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

45.4°F

52.7°F

+7.3°F in Chicago, IL

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

38.0 in

+25.4 in in Chicago, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$4.24/gal

+1% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Chicago.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs CTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

19.9

+31% in Chicago, IL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$19.71

+8% in Chicago, IL

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Chicago, IL

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Chicago, IL

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

Average prices — West vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / IL)

6.25%

+2.3 pp in IL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.95%

+5.0 pp in IL

Casper vs Chicago — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Chicago?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Chicago, IL's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Chicago?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $50,000 in Chicago.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Chicago?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Chicago under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).