Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,370/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,370 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 14% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$730
$992
+36% in Minneapolis, MN
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,192
+56% in Minneapolis, MN
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,555
+67% in Minneapolis, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,761
+36% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$345,600
+38% in Minneapolis, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$80,269
+16% in Minneapolis, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$59,320
+21% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
33.0 yr
+4.0 yr in Casper, WY
Homeownership
70.3%
48.0%
+22.3 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
54.5%
+24.5 pp in Minneapolis, MN
Avg Commute
16.9 min
22.5 min
+5.6 min in Minneapolis, MN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
1,168.5
+286% in Minneapolis, MN
Property Crime
2,123.8
5,183.1
+144% in Minneapolis, MN

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
47.4°F
+2.0°F in Minneapolis, MN
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
32.8 in
+20.3 in in Minneapolis, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.96/gal
+7% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
17.5
+15% in Minneapolis, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$14.79
+19% 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 Minneapolis, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Casper, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Minneapolis, MN
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 / MN)
4%
6.875%
+2.9 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.85%
+9.8 pp in MN

Casper vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Minneapolis?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Minneapolis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Minneapolis?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).