Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or St. Louis?

Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below St. Louis, MO's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in St. Louis?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $35,000 in St. Louis.

Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or St. Louis?

Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Cheyenne vs St. Louis Cost of Living 2026

Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Louis, MO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 28% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY

St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio

$756

$864

+14% in St. Louis, MO

1 Bedroom

$824

$866

+5% in St. Louis, MO

2 Bedroom

$1,036

$1,109

+7% in St. Louis, MO

3 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,135

+23% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,200

$185,100

+41% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$77,176

$55,279

+28% in Cheyenne, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,540

$49,990

+3% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.9 yr

36.6 yr

+2.3 yr in Cheyenne, WY

Homeownership

67.7%

45.4%

+22.3 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.9%

40.2%

+7.3 pp in St. Louis, MO

Avg Commute

16.1 min

22.2 min

+6.1 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

334.6

1,372.9

+310% in St. Louis, MO

Property Crime

3,030.3

5,794.9

+91% in St. Louis, MO

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

55.7°F

+9.2°F in St. Louis, MO

Annual Precipitation

15.9 in

40.9 in

+25.0 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.8

13.7

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.31

$24.13

+81% in St. Louis, MO

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

$1.66

+19% in Cheyenne, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Louis, MO

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Cheyenne, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Louis, MO

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / MO)

4.225%

+0.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Cheyenne vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or St. Louis?: Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below St. Louis, MO's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in St. Louis?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or St. Louis?: Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).