City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 3.4% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $103,400 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Tucson, AZ ($108,719 → $108,455), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,688 in Tucson | $103,425 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
79 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Las Vegas → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $62,893 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $76,095 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $91,205 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $108,455 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $128,162 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $47,220 | $48,837 (−24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $123,710 | $127,947 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $76,320 | $78,934 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $94,110 | $97,334 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.