Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Las Vegas, NV is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 12% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Las Vegas, NV
Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio
$992
$992
about equal
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$1,192
+1% in Minneapolis, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$1,555
+11% in Minneapolis, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,761
+1% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$345,600
+13% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$80,269
+13% in Minneapolis, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$59,320
+27% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
33.0 yr
+5.5 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
48.0%
+7.7 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
54.5%
+27.2 pp in Minneapolis, MN
Avg Commute
25.8 min
22.5 min
+3.3 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.1
1,167.8
+170% in Minneapolis, MN
Property Crime
2,641.7
5,182.6
+96% in Minneapolis, MN

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
47.4°F
+21.0°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
32.8 in
+27.4 in in Minneapolis, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$4.25/gal
+24% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
15.1
+6% in Minneapolis, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.04
$14.33
+43% in Minneapolis, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.14
+5% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.79
+15% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$3.63
+61% in Minneapolis, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.97
+4% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.15
+1% in Minneapolis, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.63
+15% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / MN)
6.85%
6.875%
+0.0 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.85%
+9.8 pp in MN

Las Vegas vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Minneapolis?
Las Vegas, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Las Vegas than in Minneapolis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Minneapolis?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).