City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 1.9% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $101,900 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Fresno, CA to Las Vegas, NV ($106,973 → $108,719), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,098 in Las Vegas | $101,939 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
Las Vegas, NV → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Fresno → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $63,046 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $76,280 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $91,427 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,719 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $128,473 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $65,040 | $66,301 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $129,940 | $132,459 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $80,530 | $82,091 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $103,940 | $105,955 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.