Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,510 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 35% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 6% higher in Raleigh, NC. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,301
+72% in Raleigh, NC
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,323
+61% in Raleigh, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,462
+41% in Raleigh, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,715
+16% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$377,800
+21% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$82,424
+7% in Raleigh, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$51,990
+1% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
34.7 yr
+4.2 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
51.2%
+16.5 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
52.9%
+20.0 pp in Raleigh, NC
Avg Commute
16.1 min
23.4 min
+7.3 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
491.5
+47% in Raleigh, NC
Property Crime
3,030.3
2,838.4
+6% 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
60.6°F
+14.1°F in Raleigh, NC
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
46.0 in
+30.1 in in Raleigh, NC

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)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
15.1
+2% in Raleigh, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$27.56
+107% in Raleigh, NC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Cheyenne, WY
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Cheyenne, WY
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Raleigh, NC
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Cheyenne, WY
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Cheyenne, WY
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Cheyenne, WY

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / NC)
4%
4.75%
+0.8 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.99%
+4.0 pp in NC

Cheyenne vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Raleigh?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 35% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Raleigh?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Raleigh?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).