Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salem, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 7% higher in Cheyenne, WY. 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
Salem, OR

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,075
+42% in Salem, OR
1 Bedroom
$824
$989
+20% in Salem, OR
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,337
+29% in Salem, OR
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,778
+20% in Salem, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$382,400
+23% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$71,900
+7% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$55,310
+7% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
35.7 yr
+3.2 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
55.7%
+12.0 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
31.4%
+1.5 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Avg Commute
16.1 min
22.4 min
+6.3 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
540.6
+62% in Salem, OR
Property Crime
3,030.3
2,878.6
+5% 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
53.0°F
+6.5°F in Salem, OR
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
39.7 in
+23.7 in in Salem, OR

Gas

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

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

Utilities

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

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Salem?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Salem, OR's $1,170, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Salem?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Salem?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Salem 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).