Living Cost Compare
Fort Wayne

Indiana

$960/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 $960 in Fort Wayne, IN versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Fort Wayne, IN is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,293 in Fort Wayne, IN and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 15% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Fort Wayne, IN
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
$798
$992
+24% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$782
$1,181
+51% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$984
$1,401
+42% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,100
$1,740
+58% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$169,700
$395,300
+133% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$60,293
$70,723
+17% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,700
$46,670
+2% in Fort Wayne, IN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.0 yr
38.5 yr
+3.5 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
62.2%
55.7%
+6.5 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.5%
27.3%
+1.2 pp in Fort Wayne, IN
Avg Commute
21.4 min
25.8 min
+4.4 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
308.9
433.3
+40% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
2,245.4
2,642.1
+18% 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
50.5°F
68.4°F
+17.9°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
38.3 in
5.4 in
+33.0 in in Fort Wayne, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.09/gal
+29% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) 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)
18.1
13.6
+25% in Fort Wayne, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$12.09
+12% in Fort Wayne, IN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Fort Wayne, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Fort Wayne, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / NV)
7%
6.85%
+0.2 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
None
+3.0 pp in IN

Fort Wayne vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Wayne or Las Vegas?
Fort Wayne, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Wayne than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Fort Wayne versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Wayne or Las Vegas?
Fort Wayne is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% 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).