San Francisco vs Las Vegas
San Francisco, CA · Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas is 52% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Home Price
San: $1,350,000
Las: $415,000
Monthly Rent
San: $3,498/mo
Las: $1,068/mo
COL Index
San: 214
Las: 103
Median Income
San: $131,000
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 San Francisco has the same purchasing power as $48,131 in Las Vegas — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Las Vegas cost 69% more (-$935,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Las Vegas saves you $2,430/month — $29,160 per year. Median rent: $3,498/mo in San Francisco vs $1,068/mo in Las Vegas.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, San Francisco owners pay roughly $8,505/year in property taxes vs $2,490/year in Las Vegas. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $131,000 in San Francisco and $62,600 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas residents earn 52% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 34 minutes in San Francisco vs 25 minutes in Las Vegas. Over a year, that's 4500 extra minutes (75 hours) of commuting in San Francisco.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from San Francisco to Las Vegas, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in San Francisco | Equivalent in Las Vegas | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $24,065 | -$25,935 |
| $75,000 | $36,098 | -$38,902 |
| $100,000 | $48,131 | -$51,869 |
| $150,000 | $72,196 | -$77,804 |
| $200,000 | $96,262 | -$103,738 |
* 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
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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San Francisco Calculators
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Related Comparisons
San Francisco vs Las Vegas: Common Questions
Is San Francisco or Las Vegas cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Las Vegas is cheaper overall. San Francisco has a COL index of 214 while Las Vegas scores 103 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between San Francisco and Las Vegas?
The median home price in San Francisco is $1,350,000 vs $415,000 in Las Vegas — a difference of $935,000 (69%).
What salary do I need in Las Vegas to match my San Francisco income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in San Francisco is equivalent to $48,131 in Las Vegas in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Las Vegas has a lower property tax rate (0.6% vs 0.63%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,490/year vs $8,505/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.