Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/mo est.

vs
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $980 in Cheyenne, WY. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY — about 2% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Cheyenne, WY

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$756
+47% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$824
+40% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,036
+31% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,478
+11% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$311,200
+11% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$77,176
+2% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$51,540
+3% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
38.9 yr
+4.5 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
51.5%
67.7%
+16.2 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
32.9%
+14.5 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
16.1 min
+8.9 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
334.6
+54% in Charlotte, NC
Property Crime
3,718.9
3,030.3
+19% in Charlotte, NC

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.9°F
46.5°F
+13.4°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
15.9 in
+25.7 in in Charlotte, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.29/gal
+11% in Cheyenne, WY

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
14.8
+2% in Charlotte, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$13.31
+52% in Charlotte, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Cheyenne, WY
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Cheyenne, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Charlotte, NC
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Cheyenne, WY
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / WY)
4.75%
4%
+0.8 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
None
+4.0 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Cheyenne — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Cheyenne?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Cheyenne?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $33,000 in Cheyenne.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Cheyenne?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Cheyenne under Wyoming's (no state income tax and a 4% 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).