Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 24% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$730
$1,496
+105% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,357
+78% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,559
+68% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,857
+43% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$366,300
+46% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$90,685
+31% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$49,430
+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
37.4 yr
+0.4 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
70.3%
64.9%
+5.4 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
40.4%
+10.4 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
16.9 min
23.2 min
+6.3 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
96.9
+68% in Casper, WY
Property Crime
2,123.8
1,664.9
+22% 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
59.9°F
+14.5°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
44.3 in
+31.8 in in Virginia Beach, VA

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)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
17.2
+13% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$27.20
+49% in Virginia Beach, VA

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 Virginia Beach, VA
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 / VA)
4%
5.3%
+1.3 pp in VA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Casper vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Virginia Beach?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Virginia Beach?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).