Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 39% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 31% higher in Juneau, AK. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$730
$993
+36% in Juneau, AK
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,257
+65% in Juneau, AK
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,647
+77% in Juneau, AK
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,949
+50% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$432,500
+73% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$100,513
+45% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
39.8 yr
+2.8 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
70.3%
64.4%
+5.9 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
40.5%
+10.5 pp in Juneau, AK
Avg Commute
16.9 min
15.8 min
+1.1 min in Casper, WY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
515.6
+71% in Juneau, AK
Property Crime
2,123.8
2,113.1
+1% 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
42.1°F
+3.3°F in Casper, WY
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
62.3 in
+49.8 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$5.21/gal
+22% in Juneau, AK

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
28.2
+85% in Juneau, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$17.35
+5% in Casper, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / AK)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Casper vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Juneau?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Juneau?
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 Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Juneau?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no 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).