Living Cost Compare
Laramie

Wyoming

$890/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 $890 in Laramie, WY versus $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,414 in Laramie, WY and $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 26% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$667
$992
+49% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$728
$1,181
+62% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$883
$1,401
+59% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,423
$1,740
+22% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$302,200
$395,300
+31% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$52,414
$70,723
+35% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.9 yr
38.5 yr
+11.6 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
44.1%
55.7%
+11.6 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.8%
27.3%
+28.5 pp in Laramie, WY
Avg Commute
13.5 min
25.8 min
+12.3 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
129.6
433.3
+234% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
1,175.9
2,642.1
+125% 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
41.0°F
68.4°F
+27.4°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
10.9 in
5.4 in
+5.5 in in Laramie, WY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$5.21/gal
+22% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) 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)
15.2
13.1
+14% in Laramie, WY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$13.83
+24% in Laramie, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / NV)
4%
6.85%
+2.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Laramie vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Las Vegas?
Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Laramie than in Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Las Vegas?
Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax 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).