Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,020 in El Paso, TX. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than El Paso, TX, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $58,734 in El Paso, TX — about 24% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
El Paso, TX

Rent

Studio
$756
$707
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
1 Bedroom
$824
$816
+1% in Cheyenne, WY
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$993
+4% in Cheyenne, WY
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,252
+15% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$171,700
+45% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$58,734
+24% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$39,510
+23% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
34.1 yr
+4.8 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
60.2%
+7.5 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
27.5%
+5.4 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Avg Commute
16.1 min
23.7 min
+7.6 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
319.7
+4% in Cheyenne, WY
Property Crime
3,030.3
1,509.3
+50% in Cheyenne, WY

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
64.6°F
+18.1°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
9.7 in
+6.2 in in Cheyenne, WY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.62/gal
+16% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
16.4
+11% in El Paso, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$30.48
+129% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Cheyenne, WY
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Cheyenne, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in El Paso, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Cheyenne, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / TX)
4%
6.25%
+2.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Cheyenne vs El Paso — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or El Paso?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below El Paso, TX's $1,020, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in El Paso?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $33,000 in El Paso.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or El Paso?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); El Paso under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).