Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Montgomery?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Montgomery, AL's $1,020, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $33,000 in Montgomery.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Montgomery?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Montgomery under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Casper vs Montgomery Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Montgomery

Alabama

$1,020/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,020 in Montgomery, AL. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Montgomery, AL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $55,687 in Montgomery, AL — about 19% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Montgomery, AL

Rent

Studio

$730

$864

+18% in Montgomery, AL

1 Bedroom

$764

$831

+9% in Montgomery, AL

2 Bedroom

$930

$982

+6% in Montgomery, AL

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,172

+10% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$148,500

+41% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$55,687

+19% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$44,950

+8% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

36.2 yr

+0.8 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

54.3%

+16.0 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

33.5%

+3.5 pp in Montgomery, AL

Avg Commute

16.9 min

20.5 min

+3.6 min in Montgomery, AL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

605.5

+100% in Montgomery, AL

Property Crime

2,123.8

2,258.3

+6% in Montgomery, AL

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

65.1°F

+19.7°F in Montgomery, AL

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

53.1 in

+40.5 in in Montgomery, AL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

16.4

+8% in Montgomery, AL

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$24.06

+32% in Montgomery, AL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Montgomery, AL

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / AL)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

5.00%

+5.0 pp in AL

Casper vs Montgomery — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Montgomery?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Montgomery, AL's $1,020, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Montgomery?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $33,000 in Montgomery.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Montgomery?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Montgomery under Alabama's (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% 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).