Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,010/mo est.

vs
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,010 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 29% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
$881
$992
+13% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$854
$1,181
+38% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$1,401
+30% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,740
+40% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$395,300
+76% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$70,723
+42% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$46,670
+4% in Baton Rouge, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
38.5 yr
+6.7 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
46.9%
55.7%
+8.8 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
27.3%
+8.5 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Avg Commute
21.1 min
25.8 min
+4.7 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
433.3
+42% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
1,756.3
2,642.1
+50% in Las Vegas, NV

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
68.5°F
68.4°F
+0.1°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
5.4 in
+55.3 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.09/gal
+40% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs RTC (residential routes) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
13.6
+4% in Baton Rouge, LA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$12.09
+27% in Baton Rouge, LA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Baton Rouge, LA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Las Vegas, NV
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Las Vegas, NV

Average prices — South vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / NV)
5%
6.85%
+1.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
None
+3.0 pp in LA

Baton Rouge vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or Las Vegas?
Baton Rouge, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,010 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or Las Vegas?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Las Vegas under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).