Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Morgantown

West Virginia

$950/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 $950 in Morgantown, WV. Overall, Morgantown, WV is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Las Vegas, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV and $42,245 in Morgantown, WV — about 40% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$992
$836
+16% in Las Vegas, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$770
+35% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$969
+31% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,038
+40% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$238,200
+40% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$42,245
+40% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$47,350
+1% in Morgantown, WV

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
24.0 yr
+14.5 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
44.3%
+11.4 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
58.1%
+30.8 pp in Morgantown, WV
Avg Commute
25.8 min
17.3 min
+8.5 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.3
216.3
+50% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
2,642.1
1,976.4
+25% 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
53.0°F
+15.4°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
41.8 in
+36.5 in in Morgantown, WV

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$3.94/gal
+24% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.1
15.4
+18% in Morgantown, WV
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.83
$24.68
+78% in Morgantown, WV

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Morgantown, WV
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Las Vegas, NV
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / WV)
6.85%
6%
+0.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.82%
+4.8 pp in WV

Las Vegas vs Morgantown — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Morgantown?
Morgantown, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Las Vegas, NV's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Las Vegas than in Morgantown?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $31,000 in Morgantown.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Morgantown?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Morgantown under West Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 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).