

Ames vs Las Vegas
$140/mo more in Las Vegas
AmesLas VegasAbout 1,208 miles apart, a flight.
- Las Vegas leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,541/mo in Las Vegas. $2,401/mo in Ames. +$1,680 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
Las Vegas
$2,541
+$140 vs Ames
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$140 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | Las Vegas | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,208 | $7,322 | +$1,114 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,332 | $1,472 | +$141 |
| Take-home pay | $4,877 | $5,850 | +$973 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,267 | +$507 |
| Getting around | $457 | $592 | +$135 |
| Groceries | $347 | $400 | +$53 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $450 | +$59 |
| Utilities | $217 | $250 | +$33 |
| Everything else | $304 | $350 | +$46 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $2,541 | +$140 |
Salary to match Ames
$85,500
Gross pay in Las Vegas that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.
Tax difference
+$2,276
A year, in state and local income tax. Nevada has no wage income tax.
More about Las Vegas
Ames, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
Las Vegas, NV in full
No income tax, low property tax, and an economy tied to tourism.
The other way
Start in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas → Ames →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Las Vegas than Ames?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Las Vegas leaves about $140 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,267 in Las Vegas.
Does Las Vegas have state income tax?
Las Vegas is in Nevada, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Ames to Las Vegas?
The paycheck is taxed in Nevada. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Las Vegas changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.