Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Madison?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Madison, WI's $1,420, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Madison?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Casper vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,420/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,420 in Madison, WI. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 35% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $76,983 in Madison, WI — about 10% higher in Madison, WI. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,018

+39% in Madison, WI

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,219

+60% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,432

+54% in Madison, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,766

+36% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$346,900

+38% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$76,983

+11% in Madison, WI

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$58,080

+19% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

31.8 yr

+5.2 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

46.6%

+23.7 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

59.2%

+29.2 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

16.9 min

19.4 min

+2.5 min in Madison, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

259.5

+14% in Casper, WY

Property Crime

2,123.8

1,884.5

+11% 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

46.5°F

+1.1°F in Madison, WI

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

34.5 in

+22.0 in in Madison, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

19.6

+28% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$18.17

+1% 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

$1.66

+19% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Madison, WI

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 / WI)

+1.0 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Casper vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Madison?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Madison, WI's $1,420, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Madison?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% 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).