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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Nevada

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Nevada from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 3 metro areas.

100.0
Statewide RPP
#18
of 51 states by cost
114.1
Rents RPP
3
Metro areas

The verdict

Nevada costs less than 35% of U.S. states, a statewide index of 100.0, 0.0% below the national average.

100.0
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#18
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 65%
nationally, among all states
114.1
rents RPP, the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $100,021 when earned in Nevada.

Reading the Nevada Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Nevada's statewide Regional Price Parity at 100.0 for the 2024 data year, 0.0% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's rents line runs hottest at 114.1, while services offer the biggest relief at 90.5. That internal spread, rather than the single state number, is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Nevada captures 3 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Reno, NV leads on cost at 101.0, while Carson City, NV sits at the opposite end at 98.1 - a gap of 2.9 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 96.3, for services 90.5, and for rents 114.1 - the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Nevada's statewide index has held steady within 1.3 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $100,021 of national buying power when earned inside Nevada, and a household relocating here would need roughly $99,979 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

100.0
Overall
96.3
Goods
90.5
Services
114.1
Rents

Nevada vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

100 Top 35% higher than 65% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). This entry sits in this band. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. 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

Most Expensive in Nevada → Cheapest in Nevada →

Metro areas in Nevada, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Reno 101.0 96.3 89.3 123.5
2 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas 100.2 96.3 90.6 115.5
3 Carson City 98.1 96.3 92.7 101.2

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 101.2
2009 103.1
2010 100.8
2011 102.2
2012 101.6
2013 99.8
2014 99.2
2015 98.6
2016 97.2
2017 99.9
2018 96.2
2019 98.8
2020 97.2
2021 95.4
2022 96.3
2023 97.9
2024 100.0

What this means in Nevada

The statewide index is a starting point, cost varies metro to metro within Nevada.

  • Don't rely on the state figure alone: Reno (101.0) and Carson City (98.1) sit 3 index points apart inside Nevada. Check your specific metro.
  • Rents index at 114.1 (14.1% above average) - the largest swing in the RPP. Review the housing line before any relocation decision. Highest rents
  • Weighing Nevada against another state? Convert your salary to local purchasing power first. Salary calculator

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark (national average = 100) for the data year shown, pair it with local wages and current rents before deciding.

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Nevada? ▼
Nevada has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 100.0, meaning it is 0.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 90.5, and rents at 114.1.
What salary in Nevada equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $99,979 in Nevada. Conversely, $100K earned in Nevada has the purchasing power of $100,021 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Nevada? ▼
Rents in Nevada are indexed at 114.1, which is 14.1% above the national average. Housing costs are significantly higher than typical U.S. levels.
Which is the most expensive metro in Nevada? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Nevada is Reno, NV with an RPP of 101.0. The most affordable is Carson City, NV at 98.1. There are 3 metro areas in Nevada with BEA price data.
Is Nevada getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Nevada's overall cost index changed by -1.3 points (from 101.2 to 100.0). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Nevada compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Nevada is rents at 114.1, which is 14.1% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 90.5, 9.5% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.