City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.3% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $102,300 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Philadelphia, PA ($108,719 → $117,284), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,334 in Philadelphia | $97,719 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Las Vegas → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $68,013 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $82,289 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $98,630 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $117,284 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $138,595 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $78,570 | $76,778 (+18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $133,040 | $130,006 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $85,990 | $84,029 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $101,180 | $98,872 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.