

Ames vs Cheyenne
$637/mo more in Cheyenne
AmesCheyenneAbout 568 miles apart, a flight.
- Cheyenne leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $3,038/mo in Cheyenne. $2,401/mo in Ames. +$7,644 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
Cheyenne
$3,038
+$637 vs Ames
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$637 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | Cheyenne | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,208 | $7,634 | +$1,426 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,332 | $1,565 | +$233 |
| Take-home pay | $4,877 | $6,069 | +$1,193 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,021 | +$261 |
| Getting around | $457 | $599 | +$142 |
| Groceries | $347 | $389 | +$42 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $438 | +$47 |
| Utilities | $217 | $243 | +$26 |
| Everything else | $304 | $341 | +$37 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $3,038 | +$637 |
Salary to match Ames
$80,500
Gross pay in Cheyenne that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.
Tax difference
+$2,276
A year, in state and local income tax. Wyoming has no wage income tax.
More about Cheyenne
Ames, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
Cheyenne, WY in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,216 and 253 sunny days; commutes average 18 minutes.
The other way
Start in Cheyenne.
Cheyenne → Ames →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Cheyenne than Ames?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Cheyenne leaves about $637 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,021 in Cheyenne.
Does Cheyenne have state income tax?
Cheyenne is in Wyoming, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Ames to Cheyenne?
The paycheck is taxed in Wyoming. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Cheyenne changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.