Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Jersey City?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 56% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $74,000 in Jersey City.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Jersey City?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Casper vs Jersey City Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 56% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ — about 27% higher in Jersey City, NJ. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Jersey City, NJ

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,949

+167% in Jersey City, NJ

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,853

+143% in Jersey City, NJ

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,857

+100% in Jersey City, NJ

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$2,004

+54% in Jersey City, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$534,500

+113% in Jersey City, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$94,813

+37% in Jersey City, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$61,430

+26% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

34.7 yr

+2.3 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

28.8%

+41.5 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

53.1%

+23.1 pp in Jersey City, NJ

Avg Commute

16.9 min

36.9 min

+20.0 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

562.9

+86% in Jersey City, NJ

Property Crime

2,123.8

2,036.4

+4% in Casper, WY

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

55.0°F

+9.6°F in Jersey City, NJ

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

49.9 in

+37.4 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

24.9

+64% in Jersey City, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$17.68

+3% in Casper, WY

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

$1.92

+6% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Jersey City, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / NJ)

6.625%

+2.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Casper vs Jersey City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Jersey City?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 56% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Jersey City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $74,000 in Jersey City.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Jersey City?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).