Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,460 in Mesa, AZ. Overall, Las Vegas, NV is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Mesa, AZ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV and $78,779 in Mesa, AZ — about 10% higher in Mesa, AZ. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Las Vegas, NV
Mesa, AZ

Rent

Studio
$992
$1,209
+22% in Mesa, AZ
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$1,288
+9% in Mesa, AZ
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$1,458
+4% in Mesa, AZ
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,819
+5% in Mesa, AZ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$364,300
+8% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$78,779
+11% in Mesa, AZ
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$51,380
+10% in Mesa, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
37.2 yr
+1.3 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
64.4%
+8.7 pp in Mesa, AZ
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
31.5%
+4.2 pp in Mesa, AZ
Avg Commute
25.8 min
25.0 min
+0.8 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.1
485.8
+12% in Mesa, AZ
Property Crime
2,641.7
1,487.8
+44% 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
68.4°F
75.1°F
+6.7°F in Mesa, AZ
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
8.0 in
+2.7 in in Mesa, AZ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$5.57/gal
about equal

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$2.00
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
15.6
+10% in Mesa, AZ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.04
$19.69
+96% in Mesa, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / AZ)
6.85%
5.6%
+1.3 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.50%
+2.5 pp in AZ

Las Vegas vs Mesa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Mesa?
Las Vegas, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Mesa, AZ's $1,460, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Las Vegas than in Mesa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $52,000 in Mesa.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Mesa?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Mesa under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).