City comparison
Albany, NY vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Las Vegas, NV (100.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $100,700 in Las Vegas, NV.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,478 in Las Vegas, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Albany, NY to Las Vegas, NV ($109,810 → $108,719), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (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
| Albany, NY | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,652 in Las Vegas | $99,352 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
67 Fair offer
Las Vegas, NV → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Albany → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $63,046 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $76,280 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $91,427 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $108,719 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $128,473 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $65,040 | $64,619 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $129,940 | $129,098 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $80,530 | $80,008 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $103,940 | $103,267 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.