Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Cincinnati?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Cincinnati, OH's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $33,000 in Cincinnati.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Cincinnati?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Cincinnati under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax).

Casper vs Cincinnati Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Cincinnati

Ohio

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,030 in Cincinnati, OH. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cincinnati, OH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $51,707 in Cincinnati, OH — about 25% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Cincinnati, OH

Rent

Studio

$730

$791

+8% in Cincinnati, OH

1 Bedroom

$764

$817

+7% in Cincinnati, OH

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,023

+10% in Cincinnati, OH

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,228

+5% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$215,300

+14% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$51,707

+25% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$50,170

+3% in Cincinnati, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

33.0 yr

+4.0 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

38.9%

+31.4 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

41.3%

+11.3 pp in Cincinnati, OH

Avg Commute

16.9 min

23.1 min

+6.2 min in Cincinnati, OH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

856.5

+183% in Cincinnati, OH

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,877.7

+83% in Cincinnati, OH

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

54.3°F

+8.9°F in Cincinnati, OH

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

41.9 in

+29.4 in in Cincinnati, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.80/gal

+11% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Ohio.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

19.2

+26% in Cincinnati, OH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$22.83

+25% in Cincinnati, OH

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 Cincinnati, OH

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Cincinnati, OH

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 / OH)

5.75%

+1.8 pp in OH

Income Tax (top rate)

None

2.75%

+2.8 pp in OH

Casper vs Cincinnati — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Cincinnati?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Cincinnati, OH's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Cincinnati?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $33,000 in Cincinnati.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Cincinnati?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Cincinnati under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).