Cost-of-living indicators for Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.
Las Vegas ranks #86 of 387 U.S. metros by cost, and its overall price index has held steady since 2008.
stable since 2008
similar cost to Port St. Lucie
The verdict
Las Vegas is more expensive than 78% of U.S. metros, an overall cost index of 100.2, 0.2% above the national average, led by rents at 115.5.
top 22%
by overall cost, nationwide
96.3
goods RPP, tradable items
90.6
services RPP, labor-priced
$74K
local median income, national buying power
A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $99,785 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $100,215.
What the Numbers Mean for Las Vegas
Las Vegas ranks #86 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it among the priciest quarter of U.S. metros. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 100.2, Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV is 0.2% costlier than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Las Vegas's most and least expensive categories - rents at 115.5 versus services at 90.6 - is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $99,785 inside Las Vegas, while a household needs roughly $100,215 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 115.5 - 15.5% above the national average, so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Las Vegas's overall index has stayed within 1.4 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.3 and services at 90.6, meaning everyday spending in Las Vegas is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Las Vegas vs every U.S. metro
Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution
100Top 22%higher than 78% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024
Las Vegas cost breakdown
BEA RPP by category, 100 = national average
RPP
Rents
115.5
Rents
115.5 RPP
100.0% of the leader · rank #1 · +15.5 vs avg
Services
90.6
Services
90.6 RPP
78.4% of the leader · rank #2 · -9.4 vs avg
Overall
100.2
Overall
100.2 RPP
86.8% of the leader · rank #3 · +0.2 vs avg
Goods
96.3
Goods
96.3 RPP
83.4% of the leader · rank #4 · -3.7 vs avg
What this shows Las Vegas's gap from the national average is led by rents at 115.5. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.
Goods vs. housing, where Las Vegas's cost comes from
Metros near Las Vegas's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.3, rents 109). Las Vegas is skewed toward housing costs relative to its peer group. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.3, rents 109). Las Vegas is skewed toward housing costs relative to its peer group. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price Index Summary
Overall
100.2
+0.2 above avg
Goods
96.3
-3.7 below avg
Services
90.6
-9.4 below avg
Rents
115.5
+15.5 above avg
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$100,215
in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV purchasing power
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 1.4 points over this period. The largest single-year move was in 2018, when the index dropped 3.9 points from the year before, a bigger swing than the full 2008-2024 change.
Las Vegas overall RPP, 2008-2024
Every year on record, national average = 100
Stable
Year
Overall
Goods
Services
Rents
2008
101.6
95.7
96.0
123.5
2009
104.2
101.7
101.3
117.2
2010
101.4
97.9
105.7
111.3
2011
103.0
99.5
100.5
109.0
2012
102.3
99.8
102.1
106.1
2013
100.2
97.7
97.6
103.0
2014
99.6
96.2
106.0
100.0
2015
98.8
95.2
104.6
101.6
2016
97.5
94.3
92.7
100.5
2017
100.2
99.4
88.5
102.0
2018
96.3
95.7
83.5
103.2
2019
99.0
98.8
87.4
106.5
2020
97.8
96.4
85.0
109.6
2021
95.4
96.8
76.6
107.6
2022
96.5
97.1
84.0
112.6
2023
98.3
96.8
91.6
116.1
2024
100.2
96.3
90.6
115.5
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV's index of 100.2.
How to read Las Vegas's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.
Budget to local prices, not headline pay, a $100K national salary spends like about $99,785 in Las Vegas. Salary calculator →
Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 115.5 (15.5% above average) - the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
Local median household income is $73,845; adjusted for Las Vegas's price level that is about $73,687 in national-average buying power.
Compare Las Vegas head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros →
RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown, not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.
What is the cost of living in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV? ▼
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 100.2, meaning it is 0.2% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 90.6, and rents at 115.5. It ranks #86 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $100,215 in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV. Conversely, $100K earned in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV has the purchasing power of $99,785 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV? ▼
Rents in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV are indexed at 115.5, which is 15.5% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV's overall cost index changed by -1.4 points (from 101.6 to 100.2). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What costs the most in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV? ▼
The priciest category in Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV is rents at 115.5, 15.5% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 90.6, 9.4% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Port St. Lucie, Amherst Town-Northampton, Greeley. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV's 100.2.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) - the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) - the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) - wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
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report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live
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