City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 2.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,400 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Richmond, VA ($108,719 → $111,183), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,648 in Richmond | $102,409 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
76 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Richmond, VA | Real change, Las Vegas → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $64,475 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $78,009 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $93,499 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $111,183 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $131,385 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $61,290 | $62,766 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $132,120 | $135,302 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $84,220 | $86,249 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $93,580 | $95,834 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.