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Austin vs Las Vegas

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Austin, TX vs Las Vegas, NV at a glance — Las Vegas, NV is 0% cheaper than Austin, TX overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,400/mo versus $1,650/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Las Vegas, NV, you'd need

$74,678 / year

Las Vegas, NV is 0% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Las Vegas, NV vs Austin, TX)

  • Housing-6%
  • Food & groceries+2%
  • Transport+5%
  • Utilities+1%
  • Healthcare+2%
  • Goods & services+1%

◎ How Austin, TX and Las Vegas, NV compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Austin, TXLas Vegas, NV

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Austin, TXLas Vegas, NV
Cost of living
Overall cost index9897
Housing109103
Food9193
Transport9499
Utilities9293
Healthcare9193
Goods & services9495
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,650/mo$1,400/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,300/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$3,000/mo$2,500/mo
Buy price / m² centre$5,000$3,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,023$1,028
Inexpensive meal$17$18
Monthly transit pass$42$65
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%37%
VAT / sales tax0%0%
Social security (employee)7.7%7.7%
Corporate tax21%21%
Capital gains20%20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$90,027✓$90,027✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces6030
Time zoneUTC-6UTC-8
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6156
Safety index5850
Healthcare index7674
Pollution index4050
Internet speed200 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability4242
Public transport4045
Family-friendly6558
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo$450/mo
Life expectancy79 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+11 °C+9 °C
July avg+30 °C+34 °C
Sunny days / year228294
Rainfall / year870 mm110 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Austin vs Las Vegas — in your currency

AustinLas Vegas
1-bed rent, city centre$1,650$1,400
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,300$1,150
Inexpensive meal$17$18
Monthly transit pass$42$65
Utilities (monthly)$170$175

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Austin

Texas's tech boomtown — no state income tax, live music and warmth, though prices have caught up fast.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
58/100
Climate
❄ 11°C · ☀ 30°C · 228 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Downtown · East Austin · South Congress

Good to know before you move to Las Vegas

No state income tax, cheap housing and 24/7 entertainment in the desert — brutally hot summers.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-8
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
50/100
Climate
❄ 9°C · ☀ 34°C · 294 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Summerlin · Downtown · Henderson

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Austin to Las Vegas: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Austin to Las Vegas, your cost of living will be roughly 0% cheaper. Las Vegas’s cost-of-living index is 97 versus 98 for Austin (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Austin cheaper than Las Vegas?

Las Vegas is about 0% cheaper than Austin overall — its cost-of-living index is 97 versus 98 for Austin.

Which is more expensive, Austin or Las Vegas?

Austin is more expensive than Las Vegas. Its cost-of-living index is 98 vs 97 (US = 100) — about 1% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Austin or Las Vegas?

Rent is cheaper in Las Vegas — about $1,400/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,650 in Austin.

How much do you need to earn in Las Vegas to live like in Austin?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Austin is worth about $74,678 in Las Vegas. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Las Vegas?

Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (37%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.

◷ More comparisons from Austin

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.