CostTrek

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Las Vegas vs Melbourne

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

Las Vegas, NV vs Melbourne, AU at a glance — Melbourne, AU is 21% more expensive than Las Vegas, NV overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,800/mo versus $1,400/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Melbourne, AU, you'd need

$90,976 / year

Melbourne, AU is 21% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Melbourne, AU vs Las Vegas, NV)

  • Housing+34%
  • Food & groceries+20%
  • Transport+1%
  • Utilities+16%
  • Healthcare+2%
  • Goods & services+22%

◎ How Las Vegas, NV and Melbourne, AU compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Las Vegas, NVMelbourne, AU

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

▤ Full comparison

Las Vegas, NVMelbourne, AU
Cost of living
Overall cost index97118
Housing103138
Food93112
Transport99100
Utilities93108
Healthcare9395
Goods & services95116
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,400/mo$1,800/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,150/mo$1,350/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,500/mo$3,400/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,500$9,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,028$847
Inexpensive meal$18$17
Monthly transit pass$65$110
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%45%
VAT / sales tax0%10%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%30%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$3,900/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$2,600/mo
GDP per capita$90,027✓$65,130✓
Inflation (annual)—2.9%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces3070
Time zoneUTC-8UTC+10
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)5673
Safety index5068
Healthcare index7485
Pollution index5030
Internet speed200 Mbps90 Mbps
Walkability4278
Public transport4580
Family-friendly5874
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+9 °C+20 °C
July avg+34 °C+10 °C
Sunny days / year294180
Rainfall / year110 mm600 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Australia. 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: Las Vegas vs Melbourne — in your currency

Las VegasMelbourne
1-bed rent, city centre$1,400$1,800
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,150$1,350
Inexpensive meal$18$17
Monthly transit pass$65$110
Utilities (monthly)$175$150

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

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

Good to know before you move to Melbourne

Coffee, laneways and a famously liveable city — cheaper than Sydney, with famously changeable weather.

Currency
Australian dollar ($ AUD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+10
Internet
90 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
68/100
Climate
❄ 20°C · ☀ 10°C · 180 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
I · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Fitzroy · St Kilda · Carlton

? Frequently asked questions

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

Moving from Las Vegas to Melbourne, your cost of living will be roughly 21% more expensive. Melbourne’s cost-of-living index is 118 versus 97 for Las Vegas (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Las Vegas cheaper than Melbourne?

Melbourne is about 21% more expensive than Las Vegas overall — its cost-of-living index is 118 versus 97 for Las Vegas.

Which is more expensive, Las Vegas or Melbourne?

Melbourne is more expensive than Las Vegas. Its cost-of-living index is 118 vs 97 (US = 100) — about 22% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Las Vegas or Melbourne?

Rent is cheaper in Las Vegas — about $1,400/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,800 in Melbourne.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Las Vegas is worth about $90,976 in Melbourne. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Las Vegas or Melbourne?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in Australia.

◷ More comparisons from Las Vegas

How we calculate these figures →

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