Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Philadelphia?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

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

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 Philadelphia.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Philadelphia?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Casper vs Philadelphia Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,430 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 35% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 12% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,126

+54% in Philadelphia, PA

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,189

+56% in Philadelphia, PA

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,394

+50% in Philadelphia, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,406

+8% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$232,400

+7% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$60,698

+12% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$54,310

+11% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

35.1 yr

+1.9 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

52.3%

+18.0 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

34.6%

+4.6 pp in Philadelphia, PA

Avg Commute

16.9 min

32.0 min

+15.1 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

917.1

+203% in Philadelphia, PA

Property Crime

2,123.8

4,615.3

+117% in Philadelphia, PA

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

57.1°F

+11.7°F in Philadelphia, PA

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

48.5 in

+36.0 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

21.7

+43% in Philadelphia, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$26.08

+43% in Philadelphia, PA

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

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

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 / PA)

+2.0 pp in PA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.07%

+3.1 pp in PA

Casper vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Philadelphia?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Philadelphia?: 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 Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Philadelphia?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).