City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 12.7% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $112,700 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS ($108,719 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Las Vegas, NV | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,755 in Wichita | $112,669 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Wichita, KS | Real change, Las Vegas → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $61,722 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $74,678 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $89,508 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $106,437 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $125,776 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $58,640 | $66,069 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $105,980 | $119,407 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $79,270 | $89,313 (+10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $76,540 | $86,237 (−17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.