City comparison
Austin, TX vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 2.2% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $102,200 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,478 in Las Vegas, NV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 22% in Las Vegas, NV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.6% moving from Austin, TX to Las Vegas, NV ($109,428 → $108,719), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,191 in Las Vegas | $97,856 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair offer
Las Vegas, NV → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Austin → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $63,046 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $76,280 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $91,427 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $108,719 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $128,473 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $65,040 | $63,645 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $129,940 | $127,154 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $80,530 | $78,803 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $103,940 | $101,711 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.