Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Tampa?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $53,000 in Tampa.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Tampa?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax).

Casper vs Tampa Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 3% higher in Tampa, FL. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,242

+70% in Tampa, FL

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,324

+73% in Tampa, FL

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,673

+80% in Tampa, FL

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,729

+33% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$375,300

+50% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$71,302

+3% in Tampa, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$48,940

+0% in Tampa, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

35.6 yr

+1.4 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

50.2%

+20.1 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

44.6%

+14.6 pp in Tampa, FL

Avg Commute

16.9 min

24.7 min

+7.8 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

443.2

+47% in Tampa, FL

Property Crime

2,123.8

1,473.2

+31% in Casper, WY

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

73.4°F

+28.0°F in Tampa, FL

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

46.3 in

+33.8 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.83/gal

+10% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

15.1

+1% in Casper, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$23.62

+29% in Tampa, FL

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 Tampa, FL

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 / FL)

+2.0 pp in FL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Casper vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Tampa?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Tampa?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Tampa?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax 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).