Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,750 in Denver, CO. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $91,681 in Denver, CO — about 16% higher in Denver, CO. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Denver, CO

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,497
+98% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,583
+92% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,958
+89% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,269
+54% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$586,700
+89% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$91,681
+19% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$62,320
+21% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
35.2 yr
+3.7 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
49.1%
+18.6 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
55.6%
+22.7 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
16.1 min
25.4 min
+9.3 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
999.3
+199% in Denver, CO
Property Crime
3,030.3
4,781.1
+58% in Denver, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.5°F
50.2°F
+3.7°F in Denver, CO
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
15.6 in
+0.4 in in Cheyenne, WY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$4.27/gal
+0% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Denver.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
16.2
+9% in Denver, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$11.92
+10% in Cheyenne, WY

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 / CO)
4%
2.9%
+1.1 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.40%
+4.4 pp in CO

Cheyenne vs Denver — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Denver?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Denver?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $63,000 in Denver.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Denver?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Denver under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).