City relocation report 2026

Moving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

Your paycheck goes 22.8% further in Las Vegas than in Los Angeles. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.

About 270 miles by road
Equal salary in Las Vegas
$75,000
matches $95,000 in Los Angeles
Price level change
-11.8%
BEA metro prices, 2024
Moving cost (2–3 BR)
$340–$5,310
≈ 270 miles
Households made this move
7,816
IRS, 2022–2023

Equal salary in Las Vegas: $75,000

Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities

To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $75,000 in Las Vegas, NV to match $95,000 in Los Angeles, CA ($20,000 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.

Single filer, W-2 salary. Nevada has no state income tax on wages; California does; neither city levies a resident income tax.

Take-home in Los Angeles
$69,838
26.5% total tax
Take-home in Las Vegas
$75,663
20.4% total tax
Prices in Las Vegas
-11.8%
vs Los Angeles (BEA 2024)
Renting: change after selected costs
+$10,583
per year, after taxes, rent and power; excludes food, transport, healthcare, child care and moving costs

See the full Las Vegas cost of living report

Los Angeles vs Las Vegas: key facts

Median rent
$2,114 → $1,739/mo
Median home value
$908,500 → $451,000
Median household income
$96,405 → $80,028
Price level (U.S. = 100)
113.6 → 100.2
Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
Among the highest (100.0 → 99.6 of 100)

Los Angeles vs Las Vegas cost of living

Price level by category (U.S. = 100)
Los Angeles Las Vegas
Los Angeles housing170
Las Vegas housing116
Los Angeles goods107
Las Vegas goods96
Los Angeles utilities159
Las Vegas utilities91

The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).

Yearly rent at the metro median
Los Angeles$25,368
Las Vegas$20,868
MeasureLos Angeles, CALas Vegas, NV
Overall price level (U.S. = 100)113.6100.2
Median rent$2,114$1,739
Income to rent affordably (30%)$84,560$69,560
Median home value$908,500$451,000
Monthly cost to own (20% down)$5,435$2,653
Income needed to buy$232,916$113,699
Median property tax$6,011$2,155
State income tax on $95,000$4,590$0
Metro population12,927,6142,398,871

Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.

At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Los Angeles, which narrows the gap shown.

Your yearly budget: Los Angeles vs Las Vegas

On a $95,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $63,502 a year in Los Angeles and $51,879 in Las Vegas if you rent: $11,623 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $103,350 and $62,847 ($40,503 less).

Your yearly budget, before vs after
Yearly costs on a $95,000 salary in Los Angeles, CA and Las Vegas, NV; change is Las Vegas, NV minus Los Angeles, CA
Yearly costLos AngelesBeforeLas VegasAfterChange
Income and payroll taxes
on $95,000, single filer
$25,162$19,338-$5,824
Electricity
state average bill
$1,930$1,673-$257
Car insurance
one car, state average
$1,225$1,462+$237
Gas
12,000 miles at 25 mpg
$2,977$2,574-$403
Health insurance
one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies
$6,840$5,964-$876
If you rent
Rent
median, 12 months
$25,368$20,868-$4,500
Total if you rent$63,502$51,879-$11,623
If you buy the median home (20% down)
Mortgage payment
median home, 20% down, 6.95%
$57,732$28,660-$29,072
Property tax
median home
$6,011$2,155-$3,856
Homeowners insurance
state median, with a mortgage
$1,473$1,021-$452
Total if you buy$103,350$62,847-$40,503

Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).

State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.

Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.

Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $22,628 a year in Los Angeles and $12,659 in Las Vegas (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).

Who moves from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

About 7,816 households (13,066 people) moved from the Los Angeles metro area to the Las Vegas metro area in 2022–2023, making Las Vegas the #5 destination for people leaving Los Angeles among the 149 metro areas we cover. 4,033 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $96,617.

Cost to move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

Moving method (2–3 bedrooms)Typical range
Rental truck (DIY)$340–$810
Moving container$1,130–$2,180
Full-service movers$1,890–$5,310

Natural hazard risk: Los Angeles vs Las Vegas

FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Los Angeles area among the highest (score 100) and the Las Vegas area among the highest (score 99.6), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $722 vs $359 per resident.

Top risks, Los Angeles
Higher risk than most U.S. counties
Earthquake100
Riverine flooding100
Wildfire100

The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).

Top risks, Las Vegas
Higher risk than most U.S. counties
Heat wave100
Riverine flooding100
Earthquake99

The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).

Frequently asked questions

Is Las Vegas cheaper than Los Angeles?

Overall prices in the Las Vegas area are 11.8% lower than in Los Angeles (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,739 vs $2,114 a month, and the median home is $451,000 vs $908,500.

What salary do I need in Las Vegas to match $100,000 in Los Angeles?

About $78,800, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Nevada has no state income tax on wages; California does.

How much does it cost to move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas?

For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 270 miles: roughly $340–$810 with a rental truck, $1,130–$2,180 with a container, or $1,890–$5,310 with full-service movers.

How many people move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas?

IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 7,816 households (13,066 people) moved from the Los Angeles metro area to the Las Vegas metro area, and 4,033 moved the other way.

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