Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
New York City

New York

$2,010/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $2,010 in New York City, NY. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 54% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New York City, NY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $79,713 in New York City, NY — about 13% higher in New York City, NY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$730
$1,633
+124% in New York City, NY
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,705
+123% in New York City, NY
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,781
+92% in New York City, NY
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$2,065
+59% in New York City, NY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$751,700
+200% in New York City, NY

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$79,713
+15% in New York City, NY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$61,430
+26% in New York City, NY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
38.0 yr
+1.0 yr in New York City, NY
Homeownership
70.3%
32.8%
+37.5 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
41.0%
+11.0 pp in New York City, NY
Avg Commute
16.9 min
40.6 min
+23.7 min in New York City, NY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
694
+129% in New York City, NY
Property Crime
2,123.8
2,415.4
+14% in New York City, NY

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
55.0°F
+9.6°F in New York City, NY
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
49.9 in
+37.4 in in New York City, NY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$4.08/gal
+4% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs New York City.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
29.5
+94% in New York City, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$27.01
+48% in New York City, NY

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
$1.92
+6% in Casper, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Casper, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in New York City, NY
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / NY)
4%
4%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.90%
+10.9 pp in NY

Casper vs New York City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or New York City?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 54% below New York City, NY's $2,010, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in New York City?
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 New York City.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or New York City?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); New York City under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% 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).