Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or St. Paul?

St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% 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 St. Paul?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or St. Paul?

Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Las Vegas vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/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 $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 2% 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 $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 3% higher in St. Paul, 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

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$992

$995

+0% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,181

$1,126

+5% in Las Vegas, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,401

$1,384

+1% in Las Vegas, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,740

$1,662

+4% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$395,300

$280,300

+29% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$70,723

$73,055

+3% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$59,320

+27% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.5 yr

33.5 yr

+5.0 yr in Las Vegas, NV

Homeownership

55.7%

53.2%

+2.5 pp in Las Vegas, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

27.3%

43.5%

+16.2 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

25.8 min

22.3 min

+3.5 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

433.3

619

+43% in St. Paul, MN

Property Crime

2,642.1

2,897.2

+10% in St. Paul, 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

47.1°F

+21.3°F in Las Vegas, NV

Annual Precipitation

5.4 in

28.5 in

+23.1 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.95/gal

+22% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

16.9

+25% in St. Paul, MN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$14.95

+24% in St. Paul, MN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Las Vegas, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.66

+19% in Las Vegas, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Las Vegas, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% 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 St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or St. Paul?: St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% 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 St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or St. Paul?: Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); St. Paul 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).