Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,270/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 $1,270 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, San Antonio, TX is roughly 4% 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 $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 11% higher in Las Vegas, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Las Vegas, NV
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$992
$1,052
+6% in San Antonio, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$1,084
+8% in Las Vegas, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$1,327
+5% in Las Vegas, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,545
+11% in Las Vegas, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$219,700
+44% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$62,917
+11% in Las Vegas, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$47,010
+1% in San Antonio, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
34.6 yr
+3.9 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
52.4%
+3.3 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
28.7%
+1.4 pp in San Antonio, TX
Avg Commute
25.8 min
24.6 min
+1.2 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.1
605
+40% in San Antonio, TX
Property Crime
2,641.7
4,665
+77% in San Antonio, TX

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
68.5°F
+0.1°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
34.9 in
+29.5 in in San Antonio, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.57/gal
$3.96/gal
+29% in Las Vegas, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.30
+35% in Las Vegas, NV

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
16.4
+16% in San Antonio, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.04
$24.61
+145% in San Antonio, TX

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 / TX)
6.85%
6.25%
+0.6 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Las Vegas vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or San Antonio?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% 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 San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or San Antonio?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).