Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/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 $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Las Vegas, NV is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 14% higher in Raleigh, NC. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Las Vegas, NV
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$992
$1,301
+31% in Raleigh, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$1,323
+12% in Raleigh, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$1,462
+4% in Raleigh, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,715
+1% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$377,800
+4% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$82,424
+17% in Raleigh, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$51,990
+11% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
34.7 yr
+3.8 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
51.2%
+4.5 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
52.9%
+25.6 pp in Raleigh, NC
Avg Commute
25.8 min
23.4 min
+2.4 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.1
491.5
+13% in Raleigh, NC
Property Crime
2,641.7
2,838
+7% in Raleigh, NC

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
60.6°F
+7.8°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
46.0 in
+40.7 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$4.30/gal
+23% in Las Vegas, NV

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.25
+38% in Las Vegas, NV

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
16.0
+13% in Raleigh, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.04
$17.50
+74% in Raleigh, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Las Vegas, NV
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Las Vegas, NV
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / NC)
6.85%
4.75%
+2.1 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.99%
+4.0 pp in NC

Las Vegas vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Raleigh?
Las Vegas, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Las Vegas than in Raleigh?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Raleigh?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).