Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$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 Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 21% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,126
+49% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,189
+44% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,394
+35% in Philadelphia, PA
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,406
+5% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$232,400
+25% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$60,698
+21% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$54,310
+5% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
35.1 yr
+3.8 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
52.3%
+15.4 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
34.6%
+1.7 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
16.1 min
32.0 min
+15.9 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
917.1
+174% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
3,030.3
4,615.3
+52% in Philadelphia, PA

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
57.1°F
+10.6°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
48.5 in
+32.6 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.86/gal
+10% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
21.6
+46% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$19.17
+44% in Philadelphia, PA

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 Philadelphia, PA
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 / PA)
4%
6%
+2.0 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.07%
+3.1 pp in PA

Cheyenne vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Philadelphia?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Philadelphia?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 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).