Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Washington

District of Columbia

$2,150/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $2,150 in Washington, DC. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 57% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Washington, DC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $106,287 in Washington, DC — about 35% higher in Washington, DC. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; District of Columbia has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Washington, DC

Rent

Studio
$730
$1,763
+142% in Washington, DC
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,885
+147% in Washington, DC
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,949
+110% in Washington, DC
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$2,249
+73% in Washington, DC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$724,600
+189% in Washington, DC

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$106,287
+54% in Washington, DC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$71,060
+45% in Washington, DC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
34.9 yr
+2.1 yr in Casper, WY
Homeownership
70.3%
41.1%
+29.2 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
63.6%
+33.6 pp in Washington, DC
Avg Commute
16.9 min
30.3 min
+13.4 min in Washington, DC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
936.3
+210% in Washington, DC
Property Crime
2,123.8
3,627.9
+71% in Washington, DC

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
58.2°F
+12.8°F in Washington, DC
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
39.7 in
+27.2 in in Washington, DC

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 WMATA (Metrobus) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
24.4
+60% in Washington, DC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$27.28
+49% in Washington, DC

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 Washington, DC
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 / DC)
4%
6%
+2.0 pp in DC
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.75%
+10.8 pp in DC

Casper vs Washington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Washington?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 57% below Washington, DC's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Washington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $75,000 in Washington.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Washington?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Washington under District of Columbia's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% 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).