Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 22% higher in Portland, OR. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Portland, OR

Rent

Studio
$730
$1,294
+77% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,440
+88% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,741
+87% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$2,053
+58% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$557,600
+122% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$88,792
+28% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$60,690
+24% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
38.6 yr
+1.6 yr in Portland, OR
Homeownership
70.3%
52.8%
+17.5 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
53.5%
+23.5 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
16.9 min
24.6 min
+7.7 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
732.3
+142% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
2,123.8
5,609.4
+164% in Portland, OR

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
54.5°F
+9.1°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
42.9 in
+30.3 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$5.21/gal
+22% in Portland, OR

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
16.3
+7% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$21.60
+18% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / OR)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.90%
+9.9 pp in OR

Casper vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Portland?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Portland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Portland?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).