City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 7.9% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $107,900 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in South Bend, IN than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Las Vegas, NV to South Bend, IN ($108,719 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,659 in South Bend | $107,923 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
94 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | South Bend, IN | Real change, Las Vegas → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $58,180 | $62,790 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $95,500 | $103,066 (−20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $77,940 | $84,115 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $93,540 | $100,951 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.