Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Los Angeles

California

$2,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $2,030 in Los Angeles, CA. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 54% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA — about 14% higher in Los Angeles, CA. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Los Angeles, CA

Rent

Studio
$730
$1,468
+101% in Los Angeles, CA
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,688
+121% in Los Angeles, CA
2 Bedroom
$930
$2,148
+131% in Los Angeles, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$2,489
+92% in Los Angeles, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$879,500
+251% in Los Angeles, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$80,366
+16% in Los Angeles, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$55,850
+14% in Los Angeles, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
36.9 yr
+0.1 yr in Casper, WY
Homeownership
70.3%
36.3%
+34.0 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
37.8%
+7.8 pp in Los Angeles, CA
Avg Commute
16.9 min
31.1 min
+14.2 min in Los Angeles, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
730.3
+142% in Los Angeles, CA
Property Crime
2,123.8
1,501.4
+29% 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
67.0°F
+21.6°F in Los Angeles, CA
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
21.2 in
+8.7 in in Los Angeles, CA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$5.53/gal
+30% in Los Angeles, CA

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Los Angeles.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
34.7
+128% in Los Angeles, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$20.33
+11% in Los Angeles, CA

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 / CA)
4%
7.25%
+3.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Casper vs Los Angeles — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Los Angeles?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below Los Angeles, CA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Los Angeles?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $68,000 in Los Angeles.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Los Angeles?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Los Angeles under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).