Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 3% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$756
$997
+32% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,166
+42% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$1,461
+41% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,993
+35% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$495,700
+59% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$74,925
+3% in Cheyenne, WY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$55,240
+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
33.0 yr
+5.9 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
46.8%
+20.9 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
50.9%
+18.0 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
16.1 min
19.6 min
+3.5 min in Salt Lake City, UT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
878.8
+163% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
3,030.3
5,257.3
+73% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+6.3°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
16.1 in
+0.2 in in Salt Lake City, UT

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$4.29/gal
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
13.0
+12% in Cheyenne, WY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$10.26
+23% in Cheyenne, WY

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 / UT)
4%
6.1%
+2.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in UT

Cheyenne vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Salt Lake City?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Salt Lake City?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).