Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Houston?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $46,000 in Houston.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Houston?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Casper vs Houston Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Houston, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 9% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Houston, TX

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,142

+56% in Houston, TX

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,156

+51% in Houston, TX

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,375

+48% in Houston, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,664

+28% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$253,400

+1% in Houston, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$62,894

+9% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$49,410

+1% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

34.3 yr

+2.7 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

42.0%

+28.3 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

36.0%

+6.0 pp in Houston, TX

Avg Commute

16.9 min

27.3 min

+10.4 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

1,153.8

+282% in Houston, TX

Property Crime

2,123.8

4,324.9

+104% in Houston, TX

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

70.3°F

+24.9°F in Houston, TX

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

54.6 in

+42.1 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.52/gal

+17% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

15.9

+5% in Houston, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$31.89

+74% in Houston, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Houston, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / TX)

6.25%

+2.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Casper vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Houston?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Houston?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Houston?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax 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).