Living Cost Compare
Birmingham

Alabama

$1,190/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 $1,190 in Birmingham, AL versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Birmingham, AL is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $44,376 in Birmingham, AL and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 37% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Birmingham, AL
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
$857
$992
+16% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,004
$1,181
+18% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,005
$1,401
+39% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,188
$1,740
+46% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$138,600
$395,300
+185% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$44,376
$70,723
+59% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,770
$46,670
+2% in Birmingham, AL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.9 yr
38.5 yr
+2.6 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
45.1%
55.7%
+10.6 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.7%
27.3%
+3.4 pp in Birmingham, AL
Avg Commute
21.5 min
25.8 min
+4.3 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,274.7
433.3
+66% in Birmingham, AL
Property Crime
4,233
2,642.1
+38% in Birmingham, AL

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
63.3°F
68.4°F
+5.1°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
53.7 in
5.4 in
+48.4 in in Birmingham, AL

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)
16.8
13.6
+19% in Birmingham, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.64
$12.09
+47% in Birmingham, AL

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 Birmingham, AL
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 (AL / NV)
4%
6.85%
+2.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
5.00%
None
+5.0 pp in AL

Birmingham vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Birmingham or Las Vegas?
Birmingham, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,190 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Birmingham than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Birmingham versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Birmingham or Las Vegas?
Birmingham is taxed under Alabama's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% 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).