City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.3% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $104,300 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,478 in Las Vegas, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.7% moving from Baltimore, MD to Las Vegas, NV ($121,785 → $108,719), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (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
| Baltimore, MD | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,911 in Las Vegas | $104,263 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
82 Strong offer
Las Vegas, NV → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Baltimore → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $63,046 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $76,280 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $91,427 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $108,719 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $128,473 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $65,040 | $67,813 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $129,940 | $135,479 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $80,530 | $83,963 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $103,940 | $108,371 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.