Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Portland

Oregon

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 13% higher in Portland, OR. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Portland, OR

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,294
+71% in Portland, OR
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,440
+75% in Portland, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,741
+68% in Portland, OR
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,053
+39% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$557,600
+79% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$88,792
+15% in Portland, OR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$60,690
+18% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
38.6 yr
+0.3 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
52.8%
+14.9 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
53.5%
+20.6 pp in Portland, OR
Avg Commute
16.1 min
24.6 min
+8.5 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
732.3
+119% in Portland, OR
Property Crime
3,030.3
5,609.4
+85% in Portland, OR

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
54.5°F
+8.0°F in Portland, OR
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
42.9 in
+26.9 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$5.09/gal
+19% in Portland, OR

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
16.3
+10% in Portland, OR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$20.59
+55% in Portland, OR

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 / OR)
4%
None
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.90%
+9.9 pp in OR

Cheyenne vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Portland?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Portland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Portland?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).