Colorado vs Wyoming: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Colorado or Wyoming?
- Overall, Wyoming is 10.1% less expensive than Colorado (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Colorado works out to about $67,500 in Wyoming, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 44.2% less in Wyoming. Goods are 3.4% lower and other services 0.8% higher.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $75,501 in Wyoming and $65,223 in Colorado (15.8% higher in Wyoming; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 93.8 in Casper, WY to 96.5 in Cheyenne, WY (Wyoming) and from 91.8 in Pueblo, CO to 105.8 in Denver, CO (Colorado), US = 100.
- The gap has widened since 2019, when Wyoming was 8.2% less expensive than Colorado.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 44.2% lower in Wyoming than in Colorado
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.1 | 92.7 |
| Goods | 98.7 | 95.4 |
| Housing (rents) | 127.4 | 71.1 |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 78.4 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.4 |
| Category | Colorado | Wyoming | Wyoming vs Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.1 | 92.7 | −10.1% |
| Goods | 98.7 | 95.4 | −3.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 127.4 | 71.1 | −44.2% |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 78.4 | −7.7% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.4 | +0.8% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $65,223 | $75,501 | +15.8% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.27 | $4.47 | +4.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Colorado | $75,000 | $67,500 | −10.1% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Rocky Mountain region average (EIA has no separate Wyoming figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Colorado
- Pueblo, CO 91.8
- Grand Junction, CO 95.5
- Greeley, CO 100.2
- Colorado Springs, CO 100.7
- Fort Collins, CO 101.1
- Boulder, CO 105.2
- Denver, CO 105.8
Wyoming
- Casper, WY 93.8
- Cheyenne, WY 96.5
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Colorado and Wyoming has widened since 2008: 8.0 points then, 10.4 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.3 | 95.3 |
| 2009 | 102.4 | 96.6 |
| 2010 | 100.6 | 95.5 |
| 2011 | 103.4 | 97.6 |
| 2012 | 103.1 | 96.3 |
| 2013 | 103.1 | 97.3 |
| 2014 | 103.1 | 97.4 |
| 2015 | 103.0 | 96.9 |
| 2016 | 102.7 | 97.7 |
| 2017 | 102.9 | 97.1 |
| 2018 | 100.3 | 92.4 |
| 2019 | 102.5 | 94.1 |
| 2020 | 103.8 | 91.8 |
| 2021 | 102.8 | 91.4 |
| 2022 | 102.3 | 91.8 |
| 2023 | 101.9 | 91.6 |
| 2024 | 103.1 | 92.7 |
Goods
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.4 | 99.3 |
| 2009 | 102.1 | 99.0 |
| 2010 | 101.3 | 98.6 |
| 2011 | 101.6 | 98.8 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 98.7 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 97.8 |
| 2014 | 100.2 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 99.7 | 101.0 |
| 2016 | 99.8 | 101.8 |
| 2017 | 99.5 | 102.1 |
| 2018 | 97.6 | 96.1 |
| 2019 | 101.6 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 102.0 | 97.2 |
| 2021 | 101.8 | 96.4 |
| 2022 | 101.2 | 96.8 |
| 2023 | 99.2 | 97.1 |
| 2024 | 98.7 | 95.4 |
Housing (rents)
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 113.9 | 77.5 |
| 2009 | 113.2 | 88.4 |
| 2010 | 112.2 | 85.0 |
| 2011 | 118.8 | 91.8 |
| 2012 | 115.7 | 85.2 |
| 2013 | 118.0 | 90.0 |
| 2014 | 120.8 | 91.4 |
| 2015 | 123.9 | 83.3 |
| 2016 | 126.2 | 90.6 |
| 2017 | 128.9 | 82.6 |
| 2018 | 128.3 | 75.1 |
| 2019 | 131.0 | 79.1 |
| 2020 | 130.4 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 129.4 | 78.0 |
| 2022 | 129.5 | 78.9 |
| 2023 | 130.5 | 75.7 |
| 2024 | 127.4 | 71.1 |
Utilities
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 78.3 | 70.2 |
| 2009 | 78.8 | 74.2 |
| 2010 | 83.9 | 79.4 |
| 2011 | 91.0 | 83.3 |
| 2012 | 85.7 | 85.4 |
| 2013 | 83.5 | 84.6 |
| 2014 | 96.8 | 86.8 |
| 2015 | 89.2 | 89.3 |
| 2016 | 89.3 | 90.3 |
| 2017 | 86.1 | 87.7 |
| 2018 | 84.5 | 80.5 |
| 2019 | 88.4 | 81.6 |
| 2020 | 88.5 | 82.4 |
| 2021 | 85.4 | 76.2 |
| 2022 | 89.4 | 77.0 |
| 2023 | 86.8 | 74.1 |
| 2024 | 85.0 | 78.4 |
Other services
- Colorado
- Wyoming
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.9 | 100.7 |
| 2009 | 100.5 | 99.8 |
| 2010 | 97.5 | 98.2 |
| 2011 | 100.4 | 99.7 |
| 2012 | 101.4 | 99.2 |
| 2013 | 101.0 | 100.4 |
| 2014 | 100.0 | 99.9 |
| 2015 | 99.8 | 99.6 |
| 2016 | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| 2017 | 98.8 | 99.9 |
| 2018 | 95.3 | 97.4 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 97.4 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 96.4 |
| 2021 | 96.7 | 93.4 |
| 2022 | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| 2023 | 96.5 | 94.8 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 100.4 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $75,501 in Wyoming, $65,223 in Colorado
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Colorado
- Wyoming
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Colorado | Wyoming | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $46,671 | $58,246 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $44,278 | $51,860 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $44,904 | $53,762 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $45,648 | $55,967 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $46,723 | $58,974 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $47,745 | $56,738 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $50,265 | $59,538 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $51,351 | $59,598 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $50,937 | $55,723 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $52,749 | $58,171 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $56,590 | $62,928 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $57,869 | $63,616 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $59,735 | $67,906 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $64,359 | $71,860 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $64,668 | $73,081 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $65,363 | $75,323 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $65,223 | $75,501 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Colorado
- Cost of living in Wyoming
- Reverse: moving from Wyoming to Colorado
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.