Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,740 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 44% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 8% higher in Sacramento, CA. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,259
+67% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,418
+72% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,742
+68% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,973
+33% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$484,600
+56% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$83,753
+9% in Sacramento, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$59,750
+16% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
35.7 yr
+3.2 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
51.5%
+16.2 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
36.4%
+3.5 pp in Sacramento, CA
Avg Commute
16.1 min
25.6 min
+9.5 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
756.6
+126% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
3,030.3
2,615.3
+14% 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
61.0°F
+14.5°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
18.5 in
+2.6 in in Sacramento, CA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$5.40/gal
+26% in Sacramento, CA

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
33.3
+125% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$20.72
+56% in Sacramento, CA

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 / CA)
4%
7.25%
+3.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Cheyenne vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Sacramento?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 44% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Sacramento?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).