Living Cost Compare
Cheyenne

Wyoming

$980/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $980 in Cheyenne, WY versus $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Cheyenne, WY is roughly 52% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 37% higher in Seattle, WA. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$756
$1,638
+117% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$824
$1,858
+125% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,036
$2,359
+128% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,918
+97% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$311,200
$912,100
+193% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$77,176
$121,984
+58% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,540
$72,610
+41% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.9 yr
35.5 yr
+3.4 yr in Cheyenne, WY
Homeownership
67.7%
44.2%
+23.5 pp in Cheyenne, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
32.9%
67.5%
+34.6 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
16.1 min
26.6 min
+10.5 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
334.6
788.6
+136% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
3,030.3
5,108.8
+69% in Seattle, WA

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
53.5°F
+7.0°F in Seattle, WA
Annual Precipitation
15.9 in
37.7 in
+21.8 in in Seattle, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$5.31/gal
+24% in Seattle, WA

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — vs King County Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.8
14.9
+1% in Seattle, WA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.31
$20.41
+53% in Seattle, WA

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 / WA)
4%
6.5%
+2.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Cheyenne vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Seattle?
Cheyenne, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $980 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 52% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Seattle?
Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).