Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$990/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 15% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$756
$755
+0% in Cheyenne, WY
1 Bedroom
$824
$953
+16% in Missoula, MT
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,176
+14% in Missoula, MT
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,676
+13% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$427,400
+37% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$65,329
+15% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$47,830
+7% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
34.3 yr
+4.6 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
47.8%
+19.9 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
51.7%
+18.8 pp in Missoula, MT
Avg Commute
16.1 min
16.6 min
+0.5 min in Missoula, MT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
601.9
+80% in Missoula, MT
Property Crime
3,030.3
3,685.2
+22% in Missoula, MT

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
45.9°F
+0.6°F in Cheyenne, WY
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
14.1 in
+1.8 in in Cheyenne, WY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$4.27/gal
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
15.1
+1% in Cheyenne, WY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$10.12
+45% 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 / MT)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.65%
+5.7 pp in MT

Cheyenne vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Missoula?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Missoula?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).