Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or Las Vegas?

Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in Las Vegas?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.

Which has lower taxes, Columbus or Las Vegas?

Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Las Vegas under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Columbus vs Las Vegas Cost of Living 2026

Columbus

Ohio

$1,250/mo est.

Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,250 in Columbus, OH versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Columbus, OH is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,327 in Columbus, OH and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 8% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Columbus, OH

Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio

$1,014

$992

+2% in Columbus, OH

1 Bedroom

$1,059

$1,181

+12% in Las Vegas, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,276

$1,401

+10% in Las Vegas, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,369

$1,740

+27% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$234,500

$395,300

+69% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$65,327

$70,723

+8% in Las Vegas, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,340

$46,670

+9% in Columbus, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.0 yr

38.5 yr

+5.5 yr in Las Vegas, NV

Homeownership

44.3%

55.7%

+11.4 pp in Las Vegas, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.2%

27.3%

+10.9 pp in Columbus, OH

Avg Commute

21.8 min

25.8 min

+4.0 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

484.8

433.1

+11% in Columbus, OH

Property Crime

3,092.7

2,641.7

+15% in Columbus, OH

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.7°F

68.4°F

+15.7°F in Las Vegas, NV

Annual Precipitation

40.1 in

5.4 in

+34.7 in in Columbus, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.56/gal

$5.57/gal

+22% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: Ohio vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

18.8

14.2

+25% in Columbus, OH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.75

$10.04

+27% in Columbus, OH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.37

+6% in Las Vegas, NV

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$2.10

+17% in Las Vegas, NV

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.25

+38% in Columbus, OH

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$7.23

+4% in Las Vegas, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$2.14

+1% in Columbus, OH

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.74

+18% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / NV)

5.75%

6.85%

+1.1 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

2.75%

None

+2.8 pp in OH

Columbus vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or Las Vegas?: Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in Las Vegas?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Columbus or Las Vegas?: Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).