Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Las Cruces

New Mexico

$940/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $940 in Las Cruces, NM. Overall, Las Cruces, NM is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cheyenne, WY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $55,176 in Las Cruces, NM — about 29% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; New Mexico has a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Las Cruces, NM

Rent

Studio
$756
$597
+21% in Cheyenne, WY
1 Bedroom
$824
$793
+4% in Cheyenne, WY
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$888
+14% in Cheyenne, WY
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,177
+20% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$217,400
+30% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$55,176
+29% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$42,070
+18% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
32.7 yr
+6.2 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
55.6%
+12.1 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
37.3%
+4.4 pp in Las Cruces, NM
Avg Commute
16.1 min
18.7 min
+2.6 min in Las Cruces, NM

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
726
+117% in Las Cruces, NM
Property Crime
3,030.3
4,899.2
+62% in Las Cruces, NM

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
58.8°F
+12.3°F in Las Cruces, NM
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
—

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.62/gal
+15% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
14.1
+5% in Cheyenne, WY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$11.90
+11% 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 / NM)
4%
4.875%
+0.9 pp in NM
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.90%
+5.9 pp in NM

Cheyenne vs Las Cruces — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Las Cruces?
Las Cruces, NM is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Cheyenne, WY's $980, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Las Cruces?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $32,000 in Las Cruces.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Las Cruces?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Las Cruces under New Mexico's (a top state income tax rate of 5.90% and a 4.875% 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).