Salt Lake City vs Las Vegas
Salt Lake City, UT · Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas is 7% cheaper than Salt Lake City overall.
Home Price
Salt: $485,000
Las: $415,000
Monthly Rent
Salt: $1,149/mo
Las: $1,068/mo
COL Index
Salt: 111
Las: 103
Median Income
Salt: $77,200
Las: $62,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Salt Lake City has the same purchasing power as $92,793 in Las Vegas — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Las Vegas cost 14% more (-$70,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Las Vegas saves you $81/month — $972 per year. Median rent: $1,149/mo in Salt Lake City vs $1,068/mo in Las Vegas.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Salt Lake City owners pay roughly $2,571/year in property taxes vs $2,490/year in Las Vegas. That's a $81 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $77,200 in Salt Lake City and $62,600 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas residents earn 19% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 23 minutes in Salt Lake City vs 25 minutes in Las Vegas. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Salt Lake City | Equivalent in Las Vegas | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,396 | -$3,604 |
| $75,000 | $69,595 | -$5,405 |
| $100,000 | $92,793 | -$7,207 |
| $150,000 | $139,189 | -$10,811 |
| $200,000 | $185,586 | -$14,414 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Salt Lake City Calculators
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Salt Lake City vs Las Vegas: Common Questions
Is Salt Lake City or Las Vegas cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Las Vegas is cheaper overall. Salt Lake City has a COL index of 111 while Las Vegas scores 103 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas?
The median home price in Salt Lake City is $485,000 vs $415,000 in Las Vegas — a difference of $70,000 (14%).
What salary do I need in Las Vegas to match my Salt Lake City income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Salt Lake City is equivalent to $92,793 in Las Vegas in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Salt Lake City has a lower property tax rate (0.53% vs 0.6%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,490/year vs $2,571/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.