Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Madison?

Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Madison?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $49,000 in Madison.

Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Madison?

Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax).

Cheyenne vs Madison Cost of Living 2026

Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

Madison

Wisconsin

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,410 in Madison, WI. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Madison, WI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $76,983 in Madison, WI. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY

Madison, WI

Rent

Studio

$756

$1,018

+35% in Madison, WI

1 Bedroom

$824

$1,219

+48% in Madison, WI

2 Bedroom

$1,036

$1,432

+38% in Madison, WI

3 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,766

+19% in Madison, WI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,200

$346,900

+11% in Madison, WI

Income

Median Household Income

$77,176

$76,983

+0% in Cheyenne, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,540

$58,080

+13% in Madison, WI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.9 yr

31.8 yr

+7.1 yr in Cheyenne, WY

Homeownership

67.7%

46.6%

+21.1 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.9%

59.2%

+26.3 pp in Madison, WI

Avg Commute

16.1 min

19.4 min

+3.3 min in Madison, WI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

334.6

259.5

+22% in Cheyenne, WY

Property Crime

3,030.3

1,884.5

+38% 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

about equal

Annual Precipitation

15.9 in

34.5 in

+18.5 in in Madison, WI

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.8

19.7

+33% in Madison, WI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.31

$11.79

+11% 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

$1.66

+19% in Cheyenne, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Madison, WI

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Madison, WI

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / WI)

+1.0 pp in WI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.65%

+7.7 pp in WI

Cheyenne vs Madison — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Madison?: Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Madison, WI's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Madison?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $49,000 in Madison.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Madison?: Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Madison under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% 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).