Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$990/mo est.

vs
Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Cheyenne, WY versus $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 53% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ — about 19% higher in Jersey City, NJ. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,949
+158% in Jersey City, NJ
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,853
+125% in Jersey City, NJ
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,857
+79% in Jersey City, NJ
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,004
+36% in Jersey City, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$534,500
+72% in Jersey City, NJ

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$94,813
+23% in Jersey City, NJ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$61,430
+19% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
34.7 yr
+4.2 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
28.8%
+38.9 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
53.1%
+20.2 pp in Jersey City, NJ
Avg Commute
16.1 min
36.9 min
+20.8 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
562.9
+68% in Jersey City, NJ
Property Crime
3,030.3
2,036.4
+33% 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
55.0°F
+8.5°F in Jersey City, NJ
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
49.9 in
+34.0 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.94/gal
+8% in Cheyenne, WY

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
24.9
+64% in Jersey City, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$17.68
+3% in Cheyenne, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Cheyenne, WY
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.92
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Jersey City, NJ
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / NJ)
4%
6.625%
+2.6 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.75%
+10.8 pp in NJ

Cheyenne vs Jersey City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Jersey City?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 53% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Jersey City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $74,000 in Jersey City.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Jersey City?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).