Median rent is 0% lower in Reno ($1,556/mo vs $1,563/mo). Buying is cheaper in Las Vegas, where the median home runs $427,900 versus $548,300. Households earn more in Reno ($80,760 vs $73,877 a year).
City A
Las Vegas, NV
City B
Reno, NV
How much would you need to earn in Reno, NV to maintain your standard of living from Las Vegas, NV?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Las Vegas
Nevada
Reno
Nevada
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,563/mo in Las Vegas and $1,556/mo in Reno. Home buyers face a steeper market in Reno: the median home is $548,300 versus $427,900 in Las Vegas — 22% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Las Vegas
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Reno
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Las Vegas has cleaner air on average: 36.0 AQI (Good) compared to 54.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Reno if you prioritize higher median household income ($80,760/yr).
Pick Las Vegas if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 36.0).
Is Las Vegas cheaper than Reno?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Las Vegas vs Reno?
Median rent is $1,563/mo in Las Vegas, NV and $1,556/mo in Reno, NV. Reno, NV has the lower rent by about 0%.
Which has higher salaries — Las Vegas or Reno?
Median household income is $73,877 in Las Vegas, NV and $80,760 in Reno, NV. Reno, NV has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Las Vegas, NV has better air quality on average: 36.0 AQI versus 54.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Las Vegas or Reno?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Reno to match my Las Vegas income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
