Living Cost Compare
Las Vegas

Nevada

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,540/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 $1,540 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Las Vegas, NV is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 22% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Las Vegas, NV
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$992
$1,496
+51% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$1,181
$1,357
+15% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,401
$1,559
+11% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,740
$1,857
+7% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$395,300
$366,300
+7% in Las Vegas, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$70,723
$90,685
+28% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$49,430
+6% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.5 yr
37.4 yr
+1.1 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.7%
64.9%
+9.2 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.3%
40.4%
+13.1 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
25.8 min
23.2 min
+2.6 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
433.1
96.7
+78% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
2,641.7
1,664.3
+37% 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
59.9°F
+8.5°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
5.4 in
44.3 in
+38.9 in in Virginia Beach, VA

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
$2.00
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.2
17.1
+20% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.04
$18.75
+87% in Virginia Beach, VA

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 / VA)
6.85%
5.3%
+1.5 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Las Vegas vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Las Vegas or Virginia Beach?
Las Vegas, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,540, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Las Vegas than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Las Vegas versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Virginia Beach?
Las Vegas is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).