Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
New York City

New York

$2,010/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $2,010 in New York City, NY. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 51% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New York City, NY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $79,713 in New York City, NY — about 3% higher in New York City, NY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,633
+116% in New York City, NY
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,705
+107% in New York City, NY
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,781
+72% in New York City, NY
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,065
+40% in New York City, NY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$751,700
+142% in New York City, NY

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$79,713
+3% in New York City, NY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$61,430
+19% in New York City, NY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
38.0 yr
+0.9 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
32.8%
+34.9 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
41.0%
+8.1 pp in New York City, NY
Avg Commute
16.1 min
40.6 min
+24.5 min in New York City, NY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
694
+107% in New York City, NY
Property Crime
3,030.3
2,415.4
+20% 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 New York City, NY
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
49.9 in
+34.0 in in New York City, NY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.95/gal
+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs New York City.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
29.9
+102% in New York City, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$22.74
+71% in New York City, NY

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 New York City, NY
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 / NY)
4%
4%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.90%
+10.9 pp in NY

Cheyenne vs New York City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or New York City?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 51% below New York City, NY's $2,010, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in New York City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $68,000 in New York City.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or New York City?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); New York City under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% 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).