Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$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 El Paso, TX versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 17% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

El Paso, TX
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
$707
$992
+40% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,181
+45% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,401
+41% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,740
+39% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$395,300
+130% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$70,723
+20% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$46,670
+18% in Las Vegas, NV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
38.5 yr
+4.4 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
60.2%
55.7%
+4.5 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
27.3%
+0.2 pp in El Paso, TX
Avg Commute
23.7 min
25.8 min
+2.1 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
433.1
+35% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
1,509.3
2,641.7
+75% 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
64.6°F
68.4°F
+3.8°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
5.4 in
+4.3 in in El Paso, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$5.57/gal
+41% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: Texas vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50
$2.00
+33% in Las Vegas, NV

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.2
+14% in El Paso, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$10.04
+59% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.37
+5% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in Las Vegas, NV
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in Las Vegas, NV
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NV)
6.25%
6.85%
+0.6 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

El Paso vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Las Vegas?
El Paso, TX 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 El Paso than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Las Vegas?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).