Living Cost Compare
Cranston

Rhode Island

$1,330/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 $1,330 in Cranston, RI versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Las Vegas, NV is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cranston, RI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $87,716 in Cranston, RI and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 19% higher in Cranston, RI. Rhode Island has a top state income tax rate of 5.99% and a 7% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Cranston, RI
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
—
$992
1 Bedroom
$1,032
$1,181
+14% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,438
$1,401
+3% in Cranston, RI
3 Bedroom
$1,688
$1,740
+3% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$348,800
$395,300
+13% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$87,716
$70,723
+19% in Cranston, RI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$53,680
$46,670
+13% in Cranston, RI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
38.5 yr
+1.6 yr in Cranston, RI
Homeownership
67.3%
55.7%
+11.6 pp in Cranston, RI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
27.3%
+8.5 pp in Cranston, RI
Avg Commute
23.8 min
25.8 min
+2.0 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
93.1
433.3
+365% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
1,065.4
2,642.1
+148% 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
51.6°F
68.4°F
+16.8°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
47.2 in
5.4 in
+41.8 in in Cranston, RI

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.21/gal
+32% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) 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)
29.2
13.1
+55% in Cranston, RI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$25.75
$13.83
+46% in Cranston, RI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.01
+8% in Cranston, RI
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (RI / NV)
7%
6.85%
+0.2 pp in RI
Income Tax (top rate)
5.99%
None
+6.0 pp in RI

Cranston vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cranston or Las Vegas?
Las Vegas, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Cranston, RI's $1,330, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cranston than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $41,000 a year in Cranston versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Cranston or Las Vegas?
Cranston is taxed under Rhode Island's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.99% and a 7% 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).