Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Mesa, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 2% higher in Mesa, AZ. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,209
+60% in Mesa, AZ
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,288
+56% in Mesa, AZ
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,458
+41% in Mesa, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,819
+23% in Mesa, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$364,300
+17% in Mesa, AZ

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$78,779
+2% in Mesa, AZ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$51,380
+0% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
37.2 yr
+1.7 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
64.4%
+3.3 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
31.5%
+1.4 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Avg Commute
16.1 min
25.0 min
+8.9 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
486.2
+45% in Mesa, AZ
Property Crime
3,030.3
1,488
+51% 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
75.1°F
+28.6°F in Mesa, AZ
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
8.0 in
+7.9 in in Cheyenne, WY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$5.09/gal
+19% in Mesa, AZ

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
15.2
+3% in Mesa, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$22.44
+69% in Mesa, AZ

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 / AZ)
4%
5.6%
+1.6 pp in AZ
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AZ

Cheyenne vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Mesa?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Mesa, AZ's $1,460, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Mesa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Mesa?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).